Chimpanzee

HI, MY NAME IS BONGO

Date of birth: November 2, 2000
Place of birth: captivity, Valencia
Date of arrival at MONA: June 30, 2002

Subspecies: hybrid of Pan troglodytes troglodytes x Pan troglodytes verus

Bongo arrived at the center when he was two years old, along with Waty. They were in very poor conditions: thin, malnourished and very traumatized. They had been confiscated due to lack of papers from a chimpanzee trainer who was using them for shows at the Circo Mundial Italiano.

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ABOUT BONGO

His past

Because of the premature separation from his mother, Bongo was very insecure. He was so traumatized he didn’t trust anyone and was so withdrawn that he spent many hours rocking on one leg, which later affected his locomotion. At first he didn’t even dare to laugh and hid his laughter when he was tickled.

Until the age of seven he lived with the old group of La Família. Romie, the old female of the group, played the role of his adoptive mother, even teaching him to eat solid food, because until the time of his rescue he had only taken bottles of milk.

When little Bongo was confiscated by SEPRONAA

With Romie he got to know mother's love

His present

He has never rocked on his leg again and laughs a lot when he plays. He has been completely black since he was very young and has become a spectacular chimpanzee, very athletic and intelligent.

His social life

While still a teenager, he defeated the leader male of the moment, Marco. Since then, he has been learning to be the “alpha male”, because even though he is the leader of the group, he still has a long way to go to be a good, fair, and balanced leader.

Bongo likes

  • Guarding his territory

    The group must be safe, and one of Bongo's jobs is to check that everything is okay. That's why he climbs the poles of the installation, to control everything from the highest point.

  • Doing displays

    He loves to impress everyone with his strength, he doesn't care if they are humans or his fellows, from his group or his neighbours. He doesn't discriminate.

  • “Covering up” to sleep

    He likes to make a nest to sleep on the ground, which culminates in a straw pile on his belly, to "cover himself".

Anecdotes

When Bongo shows off his strength, he always starts by blowing a raspberry, and ends by making impressive jumps and beating his chest.

Anecdotes

When the caretakers need a chimpanzee to help them remove straw from the sliding doors that block their access, Bongo is the first to help, and very happily so.

Anecdotes

He is the main character of MONA’s first book, which tells his story to the little ones home.

Bongo's group: Mutamba

Àfrica

Àfrica

Taken from the jungle as a baby, smugglers abandoned her to her fate in a cage at the port of destination.

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Waty

Waty

La vam rescatar del Circ Mundial Italià, estrella principal d’un dels seus espectacles amb animals.

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Marco

Marco

TV star, he lived more than 8 years locked up in a truck.

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Juanito

Juanito

He arrived when he was one year old and his integration into the group was recorded by National Geographic cameras.

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Bongo

Bongo

Rescued from the circus at the age of two, he arrived very thin and with a great fear of physical contact.

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