by: Ashley Judd and the Bonobo Conservation Initiative
target: Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism

150,015 SUPPORTERS – 160,000 GOAL
Bonobos are the world’s least-recognized great ape, and humanity’s closest living relative. This endangered species lives exclusively in Africa’s Congo Basin, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Only an estimated 15,000 bonobos remain in the wild – poaching and habitat loss are pushing them to the brink of extinction.

I fell in love with these amazing animals a few years ago when I narrated “The Bonobo Connection.” I learned that bonobo societies are matriarchal, and unlike our other closest relatives, chimpanzees, are incredibly peaceful. Female-led groups of bonobos are highly empathic, and use affection rather than aggression to resolve conflict and to strengthen social bonds.

It is a tragic irony that this peaceful species is only found in one of the most…