Tourism presidential advisor Ajarova benchmarks DRC Bonobos conservation

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Senior presidential advisor on tourism, Dr Lilly Ajarova, has been accompanied by officials from the Uganda Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while undertaking a working visit to the Sanctuary of Bonobos ("Lola ya Bonobo").

The "Bonobos" is a species of the Great Apes (with the closest DNA to humans at over 98%, more than Gorillas, Orangutans and Chimpanzees).

The Bonobos are very rare apes and are only found in the DRC forests bordering the Congo and Kassai rivers, stretching over the Congolese provinces of Equateur, Bandundu, Kassai & Maniema.

Their (Bonobos) population reduced from 100,000 in 1980 to about 10,000 individuals today due to poaching and the destruction of their habitat.

The August 31, 2025, visit was aimed at knowledge sharing, regarding conservation and drawing parallels with the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Entebbe, Wakio district, to enhance co-operation in the protection of endangered species between Uganda and DRC, to increase tourism inflows for viewing these rare species of apes in the sanctuaries

Ajarova and team watching the Chimpanzees. (Courtesy)

Ajarova watching the Chimpanzees. (Courtesy)

A lady carrying two Chimpanzees. (Courtesy)

Different from chimpanzees

According to the World Wildlife Fund, Bonobos and chimpanzees look similar and both share 98.7% of their DNA with humans, making these two ape species our closest living relatives. Bonobos are usually a bit smaller, leaner, and darker than chimpanzees. Their society is also different—bonobo groups tend to be more peaceful and are led by females. They also maintain relationships and settle conflicts through sex. However, bonobo life isn’t entirely violence-free; if two groups of bonobos come together, they may engage in serious fighting.

Chimpanzees playing. (Courtesy)

A lady carrying a Chimpanzee. (Courtesy)

"They weren’t recognised as a separate species until 1929. Much remains unknown about the bonobo—including the extent of its geographic range. Efforts to survey the species over the past decades have been hampered by the remote nature of its habitat, the patchiness of its distribution, and years of civil unrest within the DRC."