Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary

Near Kinshasa, DR Congo

---

Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary, located just outside Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the world’s only refuge dedicated exclusively to orphaned bonobos.

Nestled near the Petites Chutes de la Lukaya waterfalls, this sanctuary offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the lives of one of humanity’s closest relatives, bonobos share nearly 99% of our DNA. Founded in 1994 by Claudine André, Lola ya Bonobo means “heaven for bonobos” in Lingala, and the name couldn’t be more fitting.

The sanctuary spans 30 hectares of lush primary forest, where over 70 bonobos live in semi-wild conditions, swinging through trees, foraging for food, and forming complex social bonds that mirror human behavior in striking ways.

Most of the bonobos at Lola were rescued from the illegal bushmeat trade, where adults are hunted and infants are sold as pets. Once confiscated, these young bonobos arrive at the sanctuary traumatized and vulnerable.

They begin their rehabilitation in quarantine, cared for by surrogate human mothers, and gradually transition into peer groups where they learn to socialize and thrive. The sanctuary’s ultimate goal is rewilding, returning healthy bonobos to protected forest reserves like Ekolo ya Bonobo, a 117,000-acre haven in Equateur Province where released bonobos live freely in their natural habitat.