Photo by Yasuko Tashiro
From Data
to Action
Securing a future for
bonobos and Salonga
The problems we are solving
Bonobos (Pan paniscus) are endangered great apes, closely related to chimpanzees and humans, found only in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They are threatened because of unchecked hunting and habitat loss. The need for conservation is urgent. Furthermore, DRC has lost about 90% of its forest elephants (Loxadonta cyclotis) from the ivory trade.
The Salonga National Park, an enormous wilderness in the center of the DRC, holds the world’s largest bonobo population. Survival of the bonobo largely depends on preserving populations in Salonga that are threatened by poaching. Salonga is also the best hope for elephant populations to rebound in the DRC.
The Salonga Conservation Initiative (SCI) works with park authorities in this remote rainforest to monitor bonobo and elephant population changes and inform conservation efforts. SCI’s monitoring proves that Salonga is a uniquely worthy conservation site.
Our work is essential to conserving
Salonga’s exceptional biodiversity.
Our work
SCI helps protect bonobos, forest elephants and other endangered wildlife in the Salonga National Park by monitoring and researching animal populations and assessing their threats.
Our work provides technical assistance to the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN).
We inform park managers about animal distribution, population density, habitats, and hunting activity. This information helps authorities prioritize conservation actions.
Our impact
SCI influences conservation plans, supports the Etate Research Station, hosts collaborative research, and promotes community partnerships in the Salonga National Park.
Influence effective conservation
Our population assessments pinpoint animal concentrations and poaching hotspots to help shape effective conservation strategies for bonobos, elephants, and other species.
Operate the Etate Research Station
We operate the Etate Research Station, a natural laboratory within Salonga National Park. Etate is a safe zone for 800 bonobos, between 50 – 100 forest elephants, and an impressive array of other species. The field station provides collaboration opportunities for the broader scientific community. Learn more about Etate.
Strengthen community ties
SCI benefits local communities through support for four primary schools, two adult literacy classes, a guaranteed market for local produce, and employment opportunities for the people who live around the park. Learn more about our Community Support.
Featured stories from the forest
Bonobo and Elephant:
Almost-Close Encounters
Salonga is the last place in the DRC where bonobos and forest elephants continue to coexist in substantial numbers.
Salonga offers ecologists the potential to study how the two species interact and shape the forest community.
In the video, elephants cross a well-traveled path on August 19, 2021, at 2:31 p.m. Only 45 minutes later, a bonobo mother carries her infant and saunters up the same trail.
