bonobo

[buh-noh-boh]

noun

plural

bonobos 

1. a small chimpanzee, Pan paniscus, primarily of swamp forests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, having long legs, black face, pink lips, and parted hair on its head: an endangered species.

bonobo

/ ˈbɒnəbəʊ /

noun

1. Also called: pygmy chimpanzee. an anthropoid ape, Pan paniscus , of central W Africa: similar to the chimpanzee but much smaller and having a black face

Word History and Origins

Origin of bonobo¹

First recorded in 1950–55; origin uncertain; probably from a Bantu language spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Word History and Origins

Origin of bonobo¹

C20: from W African language

Example Sentences

Similar findings were also reported in another study with a bonobo, in which the bonobo was also able to synchronize its drum beats to a human in the experiment.

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The University of Zurich team observed a group of bonobos from a project by local biologists that had habituated the animals over 10 to 15 years, depending on the group.

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Researchers at Durham University found that chimpanzees were as likely to console one another as bonobos - even though the latter is typically considered the more "empathic" primate.

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As one example, chimpanzees and bonobos do not have strict hierarchies based on individuals being male or female, as seen among other primate species.

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Scientists now know how many bonobos live in one of the largest pristine tropical forests, a place believed to be the world's stronghold for the endangered species.

Read more on Science Daily