He is one of the rarest newborns in the world.
A British zoo has unveiled the birth of a baby bonobo in a ‘truly extraordinary moment’ for the endangered species.
Mother Yuli gave birth to the newborn on September 11 at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire.
Bonobos – which share about 98.7% of their DNA with humans – number as few as 20,000 in the wild.
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They are on the red list of endangered species and are at high risk of extinction after decades of poaching and deforestation.
The new bonobo arrival has excited experts working towards the species’ survival.
Dr Rebecca Biddle, chief conservation officer at Twycross Zoo, said: ‘The birth of this baby bonobo is a truly extraordinary moment, not just for Twycross Zoo, but globally.
‘Bonobos are human’s closest living relatives, yet they remain one of the most endangered and least understood apes on Earth. Every birth is a true milestone and a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when zoos work together.
‘It is only through the dedication, expertise, and collaboration of conservation zoos, that moments like this are possible.
‘As the only UK zoo caring for bonobos, here at Twycross Zoo, we are immensely proud and feel a great responsibility to play our part in protecting this incredible species.
‘The arrival of this baby is not just a joyful sign of hope, but a vital step forward to ensuring bonobos have a future for generations to come.’
Twycross is the only zoo in the UK to care for the endangered animals and is home to 10 per cent of the European population.
The baby bamboo is already viewable for tourists and zoogoers, where he is tightly in his mother’s arms.
Facts about bonobos
Bonobos, or Pan paniscus, are the closest living relatives to human beings, alongside chimpanzees.
The animals often live in female-led societies and are more peaceful than their chimpanzee counterparts.
Sex is also crucial in bonobo society. They are known to trade sexual acts for food or favours and use sex to solve conflicts.
In the wild, bonobos can only be found in forests south of the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Much is still not known about the endangered species.
Their remote habitat and years of civil unrest in the DRC has meant efforts to survey bonobos has been difficult.
Their population is thought to have been on the decline for the last 30 years.
Experts predict that population will continue to fall for the next 45 to 55 years.
Proud mum Yuli, 11, came to Twycross in 2023 from Vallée Des Singes in France as part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria conservation programme.
The programme’s goal is to foster a healthy and genetically diverse population of the species in zoo care, complementing their wild counterparts.
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