JANUARY – FEBRUARY – MARCH 2009
Mimia and her baby

On return from Basankusu1, we find Mimia in the good companyof the little ones in the Nursery. She is looking very round! It
has to be said, she has a great appetite and spends long hours
lounging around, napping in the company of little Sandoa who,very brazen, takes all kinds of liberties with Mimia. So muchthe better, I think to myself, admiring Mimia’s patience with thelittle one, maybe this time she will accept her baby!

Finally, on the morning of January
20th, she gives birth to a beautiful
little male… that she stubbornly
Nice and roundleaves to lie on the ground, despite
his calls and my imploring! An attempt to have the baby
adopted by Bandundu, then by Kalina, only serves to weaken
the poor little thing. We take him away from his mom, unable
to leave him to his sorry fate. From that moment, the “darkangel” that I dread so much will come back to darken theskies of our paradise.
On the 27th of January, everything turns for the worst:
Mimia is taken from us with a sudden septicaemia. I can’t believe it! Our Princess Mimi,
our star! So special, like a Diva, snobby and haughty at times, but so peculiar with her
human traits due to 18 years spent living in a family that treated her as their own child.
Able to live in a house, to help herself to food in the fridge, to switch on the TV towatch a film, to draw, to play at “dictation”, waiting for the words holding her pen in theair and scribbling on her page as she pretended to write… Mimi, who had become sacred
to her keeper Stany, who forgave her everything, indulging her every whim, running toher when, impatient to be served before the others, she would clap her hands, because
his Princess wouldn’t eat food that had been on the ground!
She was also the one who I presented to visitors as “my friend Mimi”, because there
was so much complicity between us. It is most certainly with her that I most felt that1

For more information on our trip to Basankusu in early Spring 2009, visit our blog :http://www.friendsofbonobos.org/news/« Planete bonobo » : Newsletter #43 (January-March 2009 )Page 1

thin line between our two worlds. Living with great apes, we cross it easily due to theease of communication between us, then suddenly it all stops, like a case of autism that
separates us, forcing us to go back to the other side of the line. Mimia would cross theline with as much ease as I would, but then suddenly she would cut the communication
short and return to the other side of the line, in her world, where there was no place
for me.
Admittedly, Mimia would never have returned to the wild; but she had found a new life,
free in the forest of Lola, loved and respected by the other bonobos, asserting herself
as a dominant female of the group. I will miss her
Mimi and Clo (photo C. d’Hauthuille/ABE)
deeply, like all those who have left us and forwhom I still feel the gapping hole caused by theirabsence. May those who knew Mimia cast thefirst stone for committing the serious mistake ofanthropomorphism! I’m not the least bit afraid!
A photo of Mimia had been chosen to illustrate
the front cover of a book published by ourfriends at “One Voice”.

FEBRUARYOn February 2nd, despite all the care given by our staff and by his new adoptive
parents, Guylaine and Felix, the little baby also died!

No rest at the infirmary!

Suddenly, on February 4th, Lukaya started behaving strangely: she remained lying facedown on her belly and seemed to be suffering greatly. Within a few hours, the situation
worsened, looking very serious indeed! Lukaya had frequent bouts of fairly bloody
diarrhoea. Anne-Marie, our nurse, was very worried. She wouldn’t take her eyes off
her, we had to know quickly: “When shigellosis strikes, it all happens too quickly withbonobos!” she explained. Late that morning, her fears where confirmed. But Lukaya wasrefusing to take the “tri-therapy” (Baytril, Flagyl and Ercefuryl) which works so well inthese cases. The infirmary was monopolised. The atmosphere was so tense that I fled,
useless and overly stressed! The following day I was even more fearful, I could sensethat the staff was starting to lose hope. Lukaya was getting worse… But our teamfought without relent until, two days later, they finally won victory over the illness…

« Planete bonobo » : Newsletter #43 (January-March 2009 )Page 2Once again thank you to you all for your sleepless nights! The ‘mamas’ ask for Lukaya toconvalesce under their watchful eyes: “Granted!” I approve, only too happy for the good
news. Once her treatment is completed, she can have fun with “the little crazy ones”.
But we are not out of the woods yet! A small simple coldover in enclosure 3 soon develops into complications forlittle Luozi, who we know to be very sensitive to respiratory
infections. There he is with his rapid breathing and a kindof asthma, which he always manifests in these cases. Thistime, though, it seems to be really serious! We have to pullout the big guns, including the inhalations! Luozi is used to it
and he wears his mask without a fuss. Two days later Lodja
is in the same state. The healthcare staff is once again onhigh alert. Luckily everything goes well and Lodja also
recovers promptly. “We’ll take these two in the Nursery for
their recovery as well!” the substitute mothers declare,
shocked at how thin they have become. Well, it’s bound tobe lively in there! But that’s how I like it! We’ll manage…
And then, it’s my turn to suffer an unexpected setback: my sister is at her worst and I
have to rush to her bedside. In this case, there is no happy ending: she passes away,taken from us by her mysterious illness… I return home “in pieces” as I say when I haveto search deep within myself in order to bounce back. And yet I am unaware that thedark angel still has more hardship to put us through and that more misfortunes aregoing to fall upon Lola…

MARCH

What on earth is going on? A return of the flu?
Apart from the bonobos quarantined in thereintroduction enclosure, all the bonobos areaffected. Marie-Laure, a veterinary doctor,
comes to support the infirmary full-time. And
they need it; it is a period of sheer insanity!

Lodja

Nkumu ya Lola

Lodja

On 18 March, Lodja dies. On the following day,it is the turn of “Nkumu ya lola”, Kisantu’s baby
(born with hair, which was supposed to bringhim luck!)…

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… then it is the turn of Mixa and of Kindu

Mixa

Kindu

Leki ya LolaIn the midst of this upheaval, on the 15th of March,
Semendwa gives birth to a handsome little male, whom
we call “Leki ya Lola” (which means “the little brother” inLingala). Indeed, this is Semendwa’s second child, thefirst one is Elikia. Worried, I can’t help reflecting that
he was not born at the best of times…

Leki ya LolaAwards for Pierrot

Pierrot is in charge of ABC’s educational programs at“Lola ya bonobo” and “Ekolo ya bonobo”. He first started
educational activities 10 years ago, with Claudia, aHaitian national and our first volunteer, including thecreation of “Kindness Club” in the schools of Kinshasa, on an idea of Mrs Gil Richardsonfrom WSPA/Africa. The program now reaches over 15,000 children a year. With thebeginning of our new project “Ekolo ya bonobo” in the homelands of the Pôo, and theanticipated reintroduction of a group of our bonobos into the forest of Equateur
Province in June 2009, Pierrot and Blaise, his deputy and former biology teacher,initiated a few years ago an awareness-raising campaign around the reintroduction site.
Today their efforts are complemented by the educational activities on bonobos ofFrench association AWELY.
In 2008, Pierrot has already received an award
from the International Primatological Society forbest educator. He had decided to share part of
the reward with the Pôo community, tocomplement the financing (initiated by ABC) of asmall village pharmacy. Now, it is the turn of theAbraham Foundation, a foundation very active inconservation in the DRC, to recognize his workwith an award! Pierrot is very happy! And myself,I am very proud for his double internationalrecognition! Work at “Lola ya bonobo” is always very collegial, it is that of a united team.

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nd Kinshasa

Together, we all contribute to the progress of ABC’s initiatives. If one of us isrewarded, through him we are all rewarded! On March 11, we are all with Pierrot at theGrand Hotel of Kinshasa, where he will receive his prize along with a dozen guards from
our National Parks who have showed great bravery during the long years of war. Severalof them will even receive their prizes posthumously, having died from the bullet of apoacher or soldier….

The letter from France’s first lady

The father of Christine d’Hauthuille (nicknamed “Titi Ô”
by her friends) had sent a copy of the book “LOLA YABONOBO” to Mrs Carla Sarkozy. The book is aphotographic walk through the Sanctuary, produced byFrench association “OKA” of which Titi O is a member.
In return, I received a very kind letter from Mrs
Sarkozy, assuring us that she will find out more about
our battle for the bonobos of the DRC. We posted theletter prominently in the Educational Centre, next to asupportive letter we received from Mrs Bardot (seeNewsletter #39).
Around March 26, everything seems to be calming down, there are no new cases ofrespiratory complications, Lola is holding its breath…

Crispin’s departure

March 30th is Crispin’s last day at Lola, as he has decided to leave us. It is a difficult
moment for everyone: Crispin cries, the staff cries and so do I. But that’s how it isand we respect his decision.

The arrival of Kinshasa
Valery & Kinshasa

BCI informs us that there is a new orphan bonobo
in Mbandaka and sends it to us in a flight of Hewa
Bora, an airline which often helps us in such
rescue operations. It is Valery’s birthday: in ateam spirit, we offer for her to choose a namefor this new little female (already 5 years old atleast!). “Then it will be the most official ofnames: Kinshasa!” our “money-keeper” responds.
Applause all around.
After her period ofquarantine, she will join the Nursery in the armsof Mama Micheline.
Enough of this month of March! Let it finish quickly… What else can be said for such adark month? Amidst all this intensive medical activity we still managed to stick to ourwork plan for the reintroduction for this quarter, with our many staff meetings! Phew!
We are on-time and ready in the “starting blocks”.

« Planete bonobo » : Newsletter #43 (January-March 2009 )Page 5JANUARY 2009 IN THE NURSERYTHE NEW YEAR KICKS OFF AT FULL SPEED (by Christine d’Hauthuille)
Even though the Nursery has known times with an even larger number of little orphans,these 7 little bonobos are going non-stop. It’s a very feminine and very agitatednursery: “They are messy, naughty and don’t care about a thing”. As the mamas tell it,
all this began following the example of Vanga (transferred to the juvenile’s enclosure inNovember): “He would splash the visitors with water, and bite and smack everyone.”
With a great talent for mimicking others, Sake took over when he left: “Everything
Vanga did back then, Sake does now!” And what about Eleke in all that? Eleke is closely
following in Sake’s footsteps. Katako, eyes turned to the sky, pretends to be thinking
about something else, Waka closely observes the antics of her elders, Masisi bites all
the while pretending not to. The two youngest ones, Lukuru and Sandoa, still ask for
cuddles, but are already showing signs of agility and swiftness.
While the troop of “the 7 dwarfs” bustles
about, “Princess Mimi”, who is nearing the endof her pregnancy, seems satisfied with her new
position as the respected senior member of thegroup. Sitting or lying down, still capricious but
much more patient, Mimia asks for the watering
hose. She likes to drink water directly fromthe source and enjoys spraying anyone whoshould happen to pass by, while the little ones
observe her with interest, taking note. After a
few weeks in the Nursery with the littleorphans, Mimia now knows first hand what awaits her!
Sake’s nickname - the “chief’s daughter” - has never suited her better! She is becoming
the terror of the nursery and acts like a turbulent juvenile. She even manages toseverely test the mamas’ patience! Tired of neverbeing able to take their eyes off her, they thinkit might be high time she went to confront the“big ones” in the adult enclosure and to blow off
steam in the forest. In the meantime, shepatiently waits the slightest moment of
distraction to think up and fulfil new mischief.
Her latest trick is to discreetly approach thedoor of the enclosure. She sits looking at thepadlock for a long time, she takes a hold of it,
opens it, and, being very careful not to touch theelectric wires, slowly pushes the door open. Just as the mamas do! Once outside, it isCrispin who sets her straight. "It is really time she went and joined the juveniles,
stopped breaking the chairs and got on the straight and narrow" declares Suzy, seeing
the trouble that Sake manages to cause in record breaking speed.

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When it comes to being naughty, Eleke and Sake
make the perfect team. There’s no way of separatingthem. The only male in the nursery, Eleke has a newpassion: Mama Micheline’s shoes. The game is quite
simple: to grab one and take off as fast as possible.
But when Mama Henriette intervenes and tells themto give back Mama Micheline’s shoe, they lower theirheads and reluctantly give back their stolen trophy.
"They are a pain in the neck but sometimes theyobey!" says Mama Henriette, smiling. The duo of littlethieves no longer let the Mamas eat in peace. The one
who steals the most food from the plates wins! Andtaking example from Mimia who makes her requests
by clapping her hands, Eleke had understood how it
works and makes his demands known with all the cheek of his young age…. He likes toplay alone with his bottle, of course dousing anyone he can with water when the chancearises. When it is time for bed, Eleke plays up yet again refusing to go in before a lastswing through the palm trees.
Masisi came from the province of Equateur. Crispinand Mama Yvonne went to get her at the airport. Sheis quite impressed by Mimia’s big belly. So she touchesit, feels it, lays her ear on it and examines her fromhead to toe. It’s quite a distraction, giving a bit of abreak to the mamas, and when Mimia has had enoughshe gently pushed her away. Masisi is cool for themoment, the mamas agree, but she is looking quite
promising, as is Waka: she is quite gentle but a “silentbiter”. She encourages the others to start up thetrouble then slowly retreats as if she had no part in it.
She is a good actress says Mama Yvonne : “She can sit
next to you, bite you, and suddenly stand up and look you straight in the eyes as if she
hadn’t done a thing! Masisi, so mischievous so soon!
Lukuru arrived at the Nursery the day after
Masisi, her health problems are now a distantmemory. She now feels at home among the otherorphans. She is even quite demanding: she chose
Mama Henriette but she refuses to stay on her
back, finding her lap much more comfortable. Sheis quite a character and screams to get what shewants. She likes well prepared beans, especiallywhen they come from the plates of the mamas!
Henriette likes to sing a little song to her fromthe film “Kirikou”.

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Sandoa was the last to arrive at the Nursery. Even
though she chose Mama Esperance, she likes all thesubstitute moms. She is neither difficult nor
demanding. Although she loves playing with Lukuru,
she holds on to Katako, one arm under one arm over.
Like “Dupont and Dupond” jokes Mama Henriette. InMimia, she has also found a new mother who lets
her get away with everything. The mamas are
resigned: “When she is with Mimia we can call her,try everything, she doesn’t care!”Waka comes from the village of Waka in the provinceof Equateur. Marie-Laure gave her initial care andtreated her bronchitis. Now Waka sticks close toMama Micheline. But when the milk bottles, fruit andvegetables arrive… it’s a different story altogether!
Faster than a bolt of lightning, she throws herself on
the bananas, her favourite food. And when she’sfinished her part, she doesn’t hesitate to beg fromMimia who lets her get away with… nearly everything.
But Waka is more than just a greedy little bonobo,
she is also a keen observer. She seems to find Sake’s
new game of opening the enclosure door mostamusing. She is eager to act as a “big one” and learns
assiduously from Sake.

Katako also loves to eat. She is even themost greedy one of the lot. With her easily
recognisable face, straight from “Planet ofthe Apes”, she is relatively calm comparedto the others, in the sense that she gets up
to less mischief than the others! A bit hottempered and demanding, she screams toget what she wants and doesn’t stop until
she gets it. We know where Lukuru found
her inspiration. No surprise really as Katako
loves the two little ones and spends a lot oftime playing with them. Protective, she watches over them like a big sister.

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