A bonobo is similar in appearance to a chimpanzee but is actually a distinct species, and along with chimps, gorillas, orangutans, gibbons, and us humans, make up the great apes.  The distinguishing social characteristic of bonobos is that, unlike their chimp cousins, they do not settle their territorial, heirarchical, or other disputes with fighting and posturing.  Instead, bonobo society is matriarchal, with sex (rather than food or agressive dominance) acting as the primary form of social interaction.

Last updated on October 4, 2009 by Bonobos Convergence