What a way to round off the year! In the giving spirit of the season, we are thrilled to announce a $10,000 Holiday Challenge grant! Long-time supporters Lori Grace and Connie Bernstein have teamed up to present this special Sisters Challenge on behalf of our sister species.

Mark your calendar for October 12th! The Wildlife Conservation Network is holding its annual Wildlife Conservation Expo in San Francisco, CA at the Mission Bay Conference Center. BCI is excited to be returning for our fourth year—we are looking forward to seeing some familiar faces as well as meeting new friends! This gathering provides a unique opportunity for wildlife conservationists from around the world to share their experiences, exchange ideas, and build the conservation community. The exhibitor portion of the event is free and open to the public, giving all wildlife fans the chance to learn more about conservation and discover how everyone can be a part of the solution! Tickets to the presentations can be purchased here.

On Wednesday, June 19, #1 New York Times bestselling author Wednesday Martin will be giving bonobos a helping hand. She’ll be matching book sales dollar for dollar for each copy of Untrue sold to BCI supporters!

May 16 was truly a day to remember! Events kicked off with a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. H.E. Ambassador Ignace Gata Mavita, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s ambassador to the UN, announced the DRC’s official endorsement of the Bonobo Peace Forest. Actor, author, and activist Ashley Judd gave a passionate speech about the importance of bonobos and the example they set for a gender-equal society. She delivered her Care2 petition on behalf of bonobos—with over 250,000 signatures!—to the ambassador.

Today we are celebrating a true bonobo champion! Elaine Broadhead is retiring from the BCI Board of Directors after eighteen years of incredible service.

We are so excited to announce the birth of a new baby in the Kokoalongo bonobo group! Scientists from the Max Planck Institute who have been observing the bonobos report that the little one was born between December 29th and January 2nd.

The First Light Foundation and the BCI Board of Directors have teamed up to offer a $20,000 Challenge Grant! Why $20,000? BCI’s 20th anniversary year wraps up in June 2019. What better way to celebrate twenty years of lifesaving work than to give that work a boost?

In honor of World Bonobo Day, Metazoa Brewing Company is producing the world’s first Bonobo Brew (TM)! World Bonobo Day takes place on February 14, also known as Valentine’s Day. Due to the loving and affectionate nature of bonobos, it’s only natural that it has been designated their holiday too!

It’s a new year and time of new beginnings! The bonobos’ home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, has elected a new president. And we are delighted to report that Albert Lokasola, one of BCI’s cherished longtime partners, has been re-elected to parliament. Albert’s leadership in the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve and across the Djolu territory continues to inspire communities to take a stand for conservation. Congratulations, Albert! And that’s not all that’s new around here! Read on to learn about a newborn bonobo in Kokolopori, a bonobo-inspired beer in honor of World Bonobo Day, and a chance to double the impact of your donation! 2019, we know we just met you, but we’re pretty sure we like you!