Searching for Bonobo in Congo

As Frankfurt Zoological Society's leader of the TL2 Project I represent an outstanding team of Congolese field biologists. My husband and I set out in 2007 to explore an unknown forest. We found bonobos, a new species of monkey, forest elephant, okapi, Congo peacock... With our staff and local leaders we sought a means to protect this wilderness forever. In July 2016 the Lomami National Park was declared: 8,874 sq km. Our mission, through Frankfurt Zoological Society, with our TL2 staff, is now to build effective conservation from village-base to national administration for the park and buffer zone. Read more.

terese AT bonoboincongo DOT com

We used these funds to increase our monitoring and patrol coverage in the park (in 2020, patrols covered a total of 12,300 km on foot and mainly off-trail through forest); We maintained a permanent outreach presence in the buffer zone helping local populations with community projects (fish-ponds, village-built research house, bridges and road clearance). We continue to work with the population to improve their overall security and social peace.

Your support and interest are the greatest motivation possible. Our responsibility is to keep you informed through this blog-site and through our reports and photos. Don’t hesitate to ask us specific questions.

Our direct thanks go to (in the order that funding was received in 2020) Full Circle Foundation, Woodtiger Fund, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildcat Foundation, Elephant Crisis Fund, Temperatio, Frankfurt Zoological Society Core Funds and the contributors through Paypal at this blogsite.

Many thanks from all of us in TL2.
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FZS-US is our US partner for donations.

The three river basins of the Tshuapa, Lomami and Lualaba Rivers (TL2), Congo’s forest enigma, ascend through its geographic heart. We have answered our first question "Is Congo's own great ape, the bonobo, found in TL2?" Yes it is? And so is Congo's endemic rainforest giraffe, the okapi and the rare Congo peacock. But, now the challenge is to bring real protection to the forests before the bonobo and all other large animals are hunted out.

We make a great team:

• John Hart, Scientific Director."What I like most about the work is the anticipation….." read more
• Matthieu Mirambo, Program Manager. “Hunting damaged the forest of the village where I was born, all the elephants disappeared…” read more
• Maurice Emetshu, Outreach Leader. When people reject what he tells them, Maurice … tries again.. read more
• Simeon Dino, Program Coordinator for Tshopo Province. Dino’s father was not particularly interested in the forest or conservation... read more
• Ohm Omene, Program Coordinator for Maniema Province. "I kept asking the field leader, Papa Maurice: ‘Is this job really like this? Because I am leaving right now!’ And that was only after 4 days..." read more
• Leon Salumu, Ambassador for PALL and Public Relations Officer, Maniema. A turning point was when he learned that his colleague, Boni, was twice slashed with a machete… read more
• Henri Silegowa, Field Leader for Tshopo Province. It was at the University of Kisangani that this first interest turned to a passion. read more
• Pablo Ayali, We lost our Team Leader – Pablo passed away on December 2, 2018. Pablo’s favorite part of the work was simply being in the forest. “For Conservation, you need love, passion and motivation.” read more
• Junior Amboko, Team leader in charge of camera traps for Maniema. “When we download the photos and videos from the camera trap cards, we see the miracle…” read more
• Robert Abani, PALL deputy in Tshopo Province. “My father told us, ‘now the world is going in a direction where conservation needs to have an important role. You should learn about this…” read more
• Koko Bisimwa, Assistant Director of Inventory and Monitoring Unit (IMU). As he read about conservation, Koko wanted to leave mining behind, and to use his skills for conservation instead... read more
• Willy Ali Lutenga, Environmental Law Advisor. It is unusual for a lawyer to walk long distances in the bush, but for Willy that is not a problem... read more
• Ildefonse Bulembe Kalunga, Fishpond Project Leader. He recalls a villager who cultivated 6 baskets of Tilapia from one little fishpond. This was a real pleasure for Ildefonse... read more
• More soon...

We’ve been in the field – Congo’s TL2 – since May 2007.

More on the project. More about us.