Endangered

The bonobo, or Pan paniscus, is an endangered species of great ape. They have long legs, pink lips, a dark face, parted long hair atop the head, and a tufted tail. On average, male bonobos weigh about 99 pounds, whereas females weigh about 73 pounds. Bonobos live in the Congo Basin of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is also the setting of Endangered. They eat raw fruit, roots, shoots, nuts, seeds, honey, leaves, and eggs. (In the novel, Otto’s favorite foods are sugar cane and peanuts.) Bonobos live about 40 years in captivity, but scientists are unsure how long they live in the wild, though the bonobo’s lifespan in the wild is presumably shorter than it is in captivity.

In terms of behavior, bonobos are timid and primarily peaceful. These apes have demonstrated behaviors like compassion, empathy, kindness, patience, and sensitivity, yet bonobos can also become aggressive when threatened. Bonobos are nomadic and do not have well-defined territories. As a result, a group of bonobos will not behave with territorial aggression toward other groups that they encounter. Scientists estimate that between 29,500 and 50,000 bonobos live in Africa today. As the trafficker who sells