Bonobo Nutrition – Relation of Captive Diet to Wild Diet

Citation

Abstract

This section is intended to provide bonobo caregivers with a basis for comparing the diet of wild bonobos to the diet offered to captive bonobos. This brief treatment of the subject primarily cites information gathered at the two major research sites, Lomako and Wamba. Because most of the published information on wild bonobo diets has come from these two sites, intersite dietary differences are perhaps over-emphasized in this paper. It should be stressed that intrasite dietary variation between bonobo communities may be as great (or greater) than the intersite variation between Lomako and Wamba (Ono Vineberg pers. comm.) discussed below. As studies of wild bonobos continue, the range of variability in dietary patterns becomes more evident. This is not surprising, given the adaptability of bonobos to different foods in captivity.

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