bonobos, sex and Gandhi

earlier this week i was listening to the Diane Rehm Show, and the second hour was devoted to bonobos, a great ape that, along with the chimpanzee, is our closest evolutionary relative. apparently, for the novice, the two animals are difficult to distinguish, but over the course of the program i was able to discern some key differences.

first and foremost, unlike the chimpanzee, bonobo males don't kill their babies, possibly because they look like old men:

luckily, this freakishly cute baby bonobo will grow up to have a cool haircut like this guy:

whose hair is coiffed not unlike like Alfalfa from Our Gang:

chimpanzees do not have cool haircuts, opting instead for crew cuts:

this chimp is bored with his own haircut

as an aside, i used to look like Alfalfa's best friend Spanky:

perhaps this childhood memory explains my burgeoning love for the bonobo, but it could also be something more primitive:

bonobos have sex

lots of sex:

exhibitionist sex:

(notice the female's gaze at the camera)

and solo sex:

sometimes they even have arty, black and white sex:

all this sex discharges tension, leading bonobos to practice ahimsa. needless to say the bonobos are in good company:

notice a resemblance between Gandhi and the baby bonobo?

the bonobos' non-violent, matriarchal societal structure undoubtedly speaks to their deep sense of spirituality and respect for the Shakti energy of the Divine Mother. furthermore, although not mentioned by the experts on the Diane Rehm Show, i believe they may have developed some manner of meditation practice as evidenced by this bonobo in the San Diego zoo:

bonobo hand in chin mudra

human hand in chin mudra

the Mahatma would be proud...

for more information on the bonobo, please visit and support:

The Bonobo Conservation Initiative

Friends of the Bonobos