Carly Johnson
SLCC: Human Origins
Bonobos Versus Chimpanzees
In past studies it was thought that Bonobos and Chimpanzees were the same species, or so closely related that bonobos were just considered pygmy chimps: scientists now know that this is not the case. Although they live in very similar environments in tropical rainforests, their social construct, cognition, and other behaviors differ in a huge way. Human’s genome is 98% similar to both chimps and bonobos, but seem to relate more to the latter as to how we solve social problems. (Hare, B) Let’s compare the two and decide for ourselves if bonobos are really just pygmy chimpanzees.
Bonobos: Physically, bonobos have a slender build, brightly colored pink lips, parted hair on their head,
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They have physical differences: the color and tendencies of their body hair, lips, and skin. They also have completely different social constructs: bonobos are female dominated with a friendly, peaceful demeanor with outsiders, while chimpanzees have a male dominated community that doesn’t take well to outside visitors. Bonobos are more sexually active and open with one another and use sex as a way to work out social tension and to bring them close together; chimpanzees use sex strictly as a reproductive act, and the males are willing to do whatever it takes to get it, even if it is killing infant chimpanzees. They show contrast in diets: chimpanzees eat more animal meat that they hunt as a group, and make tools to assist. Bonobos are fruit lovers that eat that as 50% of their diets, and rarely hunt other mammals to eat.
Research has given us proof that chimpanzees and bonobos are not one in the same with size being the only difference; both are socially developed, individually contrasting species with strengths that the other do not have.
Works Cited
Galdamez, G. Bonobo Monkeys. Powerpoint.
Guernsey, P. (n.d.). All About Wildlife. Retrieved from What Do Chimps Eat? : http://www.allaboutwildlife.com/what-do-chimps-eat
Hare, B. (n.d.). 3 Chimps. Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology .
San Diego Zoo Global. (2009 ). Bonobo, Pan paniscus . Retrieved 2014, from http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/bonobo/bonobo_summary.htm
Save The Chimps. (n.d.). Chimp Facts . Retrieved 2014, from