Lola ya Bonobo is working to expand and secure Ekolo ya Bonobo as an official Protected Area (forest reserve) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Comprising the only bonobo release site in the world, the proposed Protected Area will expand to cover approximately 94,000 acres. Predominantly swamp forest deep in the heart of the Congo rainforest, this area is home to wild and reintroduced (released) bonobos, pangolins, crocodiles, leopards and a range of other endangered and rare flora and fauna.

A major leap forward in bonobo protection! Creating the Ekolo ya Bonobo Protected Area will ensure the long-term protection of bonobos and other critical species by giving anti-poaching patrols the means to enforce the law and prosecute hunters, a significant deterrent against the number one threat to bonobos - the illegal bushmeat trade. It will also represent a crucial step in bonobo conservation, since swamp forests are known to be a key habitat for wild bonobos but are virtually unexplored and are not widely researched. The expansion of the forest under protection sustain future releases of bonobos after rehabilitation at Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary.

Ekolo ya Bonobo As the world's only bonobo release site, Ekolo ya Bonobo or "Land of Bonobos," is where we reintroduce bonobos back into the wild after being rescued and rehabilitated from trauma and harsh conditions. There are currently over 30 released bonobos living at Ekolo.

Learn more about Ekolo's history here and more about the most recent bonobo release here and here .

Thank you for your time and attention! As always, your support is the backbone of everything we do to save and protect bonobos.

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