Apparently, bonobos have gone through several names over the years, but Delfi Messinger, Director of Animal Programs at the Jacksonville Zoo, has an important message about the danger of calling them ‘pygmy chimps’ which many people still do.

The word ‘pygmy’ refers to size. It means that whatever animal is being referred to as a ‘pygmy’ is defined as very small. What Delfi has seen happen, when she was monitoring the trafficking of bonobos and chimpanzees out of the Congo, is that people capture baby bonobos and then call them ‘pygmy chimps’ which leads the buyer to think that they are full grown, but miniature and will stay cute, small and adorable forever. This is not the case, of course, the baby bonobos grow up and get big and strong (though they’re always cute)  - and then, people don’t want them anymore creating scenarios for neglect and abuse of bonobos.

Help save the bonobos by educating your family, friends and community. Bonobos are bonobos - they’re a little smaller than chimpanzees, but they are not miniatures or pygmies.

Save the bonobos. Save the world.

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