Bonobos Survived the War at Lilungu

BCI confirms that bonobos survived the war at Lilungu, a historic bonobo research site, isolated by rough terrain and protected by traditional belief systems. The site is located along the Tshuapa River, approximately 80km south of the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, and will be another core site in the Bonobo Peace Forest.

Even through the civil war, the break down of trade, and severe food shortages, the Mongandu people of the Equateur region protected their bonobos. BCI’s ongoing experience with these communities, recent research and new mapping technology in the Lilungu region suggest that local taboos play a critical role in bonobo conservation in Congo.

Taboos

Deep taboos against hunting and eating bonobos are in fact relatively common throughout the region. Even where other animals have been heavily hunted, healthy bonobo populations often remain. “We’ve observed this in the field,” reports BCI Director, Michael Hurley. “When we ask Mongandu people why they don’t hunt bonobos, they explain that bonobos are related to their forefathers. They feel a kinship for these animals.” This ancestral and spiritual link has protected bonobos even through the most trying times.

However, not all people throughout the region share these taboos. The war, immigration (of displaced people) and exposure to the outside world have diluted traditional knowledge and practices in many communities. The results have been devastating for bonobo conservation. Generally, bonobo populations are low where local taboos are absent. Understanding and charting local taboos and belief systems is now proving a valuable conservation tool and a resource to researchers searching for bonobo populations.

Surveys & Information Exchange

When BCI explored the Lilungu region for the first time in 2005, they were uncertain whether they would find remnant bonobo populations. Although it was one of the few early research sites for bonobos before the war, researchers were fearful that these populations had been destroyed. Funded by the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s (USFW) Great Ape Conservation Fund, BCI teams confirmed approximately 45 bonobos in a core survey zone of approximately 70km2, making Lilungu a new BCI priority region. A Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation grant and additional USFW funding supported BCI’s return in 2006. The subsequent survey and information exchange with local communities covering over 5000km2 confirmed that, largely due to local beliefs and taboos, bonobos have survived in this area.

As part of their conservation strategy, BCI and its partners are documenting community receptiveness to conservation and information about local taboos against hunting bonobos.

Conservation attitudes were identified as Open, Reluctant, or Mitigating; and bonobo hunting taboos were either Strong, Optional or None. This social data, mapped out using GPS and satellite images, now helps BCI to identify patterns of local attitudes impacting current or future bonobo populations, target priority regions and develop conservation strategies. Information about local beliefs also helps BCI and its collaborators approach future community partners.

Hurley further explains that, “where people are open to conservation, even if they have lost the traditions that supported bonobo conservation, there is considerable opportunity for reviving these beliefs.” In addition to the scientific and formal conservation work, reviving a traditional conservation ethic has become a BCI priority. This includes recording and sharing bonobo stories and beliefs from the Mongandu oral tradition, public awareness campaigns and radio broadcasts. BCI founder and president, Sally Coxe has been researching bonobo lore since 1994 and is currently compiling a book of the legends, together with Congolese collaborators and Dr. Takayoshi Kano, a pioneer of bonobo field research.

BCI has continued its work in Lilungu, pressing forward with scientific studies, establishing a Community-Based Reserve, training of local trackers and the first monitoring since before the war. Initial reports indicate that, in addition to bonobos, the region is also home to buffaloes, leopards, bongos, bush pigs and more. It may also serve as an important corridor for elephants, leading into Kokolopori and Lonua Reserves, which may host the region’s last resident elephant populations.

Research

The pioneering work of Drs. Magdalena Bermejo and Sabater Pi also was an important factor in strengthening local commitments to bonobo conservation, and allowed BCI to accelerate its monitoring program utilizing previously trained trackers. BCI is continuing to collaborate with Dr. Bermejo and hopes to bring her back to the Lilungu to continue her research.

The experience in Lilungu demonstrates an exciting opportunity to combine conservation science and traditional knowledge. BCI board member and anthropologist, Alden Almquist, has also noted a number of other examples of local natural resource management that can serve as tools to protect biodiversity in Congo. His research cites seasonal rotation of game hunting in Congo’s northern Equateur, which local people explain is to “let the animals rest and give birth.” He also found communities that rotate along the areas of the river where they fish.

BCI is continuing its work in seeking to understand these traditions as a way to better promote community conservation.

Partners

BCI has achieved significant results at Lilungu and other sites. We could not have done this without our Congolese partners.

Mbangi Mulavwa, of the Centre de Recherche en Ecologie et Foresterie led our teams at Lilungu and continues to supervise monitoring teams

Mbangi had worked with Sabater Pi and Magdalena Bermejo at Lilungu prior to the war, and has probably worked at more bonobo sites than any other bonobo researcher.

BCI's approach is to support and build capacity of Congolese partners. With your help we may continue to do so.

Travel. Getting a motorcycle across a bridge in Lilungu. Infrastructure was devastated during the war. As with all sites in Equateur, travel is difficult, costly and dangerous.

Bonobo Nest. Bonobos are difficult to find in the wild. Nest counts help us determine bonobo density.

Information Exchange. By sharing information and learning from local populations we can understand their needs and motivate them to be involved in conservation efforts.

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