Save Endangered Bonobos in the Congo Rainforest

Eco-guards and trackers are the first line of defense for bonobos in the Congolese rainforest. The remote communities where these essential protectors and their families live are far from any modern medical facility. They have little to no access to any form of healthcare or even basic medicines. To address this issue BCI, along with local partner Vie Sauvage, has developed the pilot “Bonobo Clinic” program to provide essential medical care to people who within the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve.

Recently BCI, in collaboration with its partners and other donors, provided much needed medical supplies to the clinic.  For anyone living in a more developed area of the world, it can be hard to imagine the challenges of transporting cargo to a remote area of the rainforest. Several steps are involved, and the efforts of many people and organizations are required to get the cargo where it needs to go.

Drawing upon the cooperative nature of the bonobo, BCI worked with a corporate sponsor, regional airlines and local partners to acquire and transport medical supplies from the capital of Kinshasa to the village of Yalokole, site of the Bonobo Clinic. A grant from the Orange Foundation  enabled BCI to purchase the provisions in Kinshasa. CAA Airlines (Compagnie African d’Aviation) generously donated the shipping to Mbandaka, the site of BCI’s provincial office. From there, Aviation Sans Frontières (ASF) transported the supplies by bush plane to Djolu, at discounted rate. In Djolu, members of BCI’s partner organization Vie Sauvage recovered the shipment from the bush plane and loaded it into our well-traveled Land Cruiser. Then, they took the daylong journey to the health clinic in Yalokole, where the shipment–which included antibiotics, antimalarial and antiparasitic drugs, syringes, bandages, and mosquito nets–was gratefully received!

By following the example of bonobos, we were able to work together to ensure the health of the members of our team who are at the front lines in protecting these peaceful apes. As always, none of our work would be possible without your support. Thank you for all that you do, and please remember to spread the word!