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Orphaned bonobos can develop social skills and empathy
- Orphaned bonobos in a sanctuary in Africa have overcome trauma to develop social skills and empathy, new research has shown.
- Bonobos have a matriarchal social structure, and maternal loss in primates can have both immediate as well as lasting detrimental effects.
- The researchers studied rescued bonobos living at the Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa.
- Behavior such as social skills, aggression and empathy were observed among the orphaned bonobos who had not had a role model.
- The study showed that the orphaned bonobos did have reduced social skills, but they still demonstrated a degree of typical behaviors for their species, gender and age.
- Orphaned bonobos exhibited decreased affiliative tendencies yet showed social functioning ranging within patterns of their mother-reared peers.
- The researchers conclude that rehabilitation centers and sanctuaries are important to protect this endangered species, and to better understand the healthy social development of bonobos.
- Bonobos are closely related to chimpanzees and the closest surviving relatives to humans, and are capable of altruism, compassion, empathy, kindness, patience and sensitivity.
- Bonobos are listed as endangered due to habitat loss and poaching for meat and pets.
- The results of the study show that orphaned bonobos are able to overcome trauma and develop social skills and empathy typical of those who do have mothers.
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