Bonobos Urgently Need Your Help.
Bonobo Hope and the Great Ape Trust are teaming up to launch an international fund-raising effort to support bonobos around the world and in Des Moines' own backyard.
Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh, Director and Senior Scientist at Great Ape Trust, president of Bonobo Hope, and one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2011, is spearheading the joint effort.
Ted Townsend, founder of Great Ape Trust is enthusiastic about this new partnership:
Since first meeting Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh and the bonobos, I have invested in only three priorities for them: The welfare of these invaluable apes; the future of their amazing research; and establishing a unique distinction for my home state. It was understood from the start that my role was temporary and eventually a different structure would be needed for long term stability. With a new board, new chair, and now a new partner in Bonobo Hope, I am very confident the future of Great Ape Trust in Iowa is bright and secure. I fully and enthusiastically support this direction and leadership.
The Great Ape Trust and Bonobo Hope are urgently seeking help to keep the Trust operational and the bonobos secure and together. We need your help to reach our funding goals.
Please help the bonobos–Kanzi, Matata, Elikya, Maisha, Teco, Panbanisha, and Nyota–stay with each other and continue this critical work.
Our Work
Bonobo Hope's work initially focuses on the family of seven bonobos currently residing at Great Ape Trust–Matata, Kanzi, Elikya, Maisha, Teco, Panbanisha, and Nyota.
This amazing family has participated in a decades-long history of bicultural rearing and science led by Dr. Savage-Rumbaugh. The unique and rich findings from this research have revolutionized the way we understand our sibling species and ourselves, including important discoveries about bonobo capacities previously thought to be uniquely human.
Bonobo Hope will help fund and conduct cross-generational studies and foster outreach, to help ensure the bonobos' continued well-being and development.
To get a glimpse into the world of this beautiful bonobo family, we invite you to watch this short video of Kanzi playing with his newborn son, Teco:
