In Bonobo , the internationally renowned primatologist Frans de Waal brings together what has been learnt about the bonobo, from field studies and in captivity. He creates a story that strips away the idealisation and the mythology surrounding bonobos, revealing what truly remarkable apes they are. For instance, there is much less male-inspired aggression in bonobos, within and between communities. While males form strong alliances in chimp groups, it is the females who bond in bonobo society. This is interesting, because in both apes it is the females who leave their natal groups at maturity, with males remaining behind.
Males are the dominant sex in chimpanzees, whereas bonobo females have no truck with male machismo.
It may provide a foundation for what in humans we call 'sympathy' and 'empathy'. Whatever your conclusions are about this philosophically sensitive issue, de Waal is always informative and entertaining. The book's epilogue documents the peril bonobos face in their rainforest habitat. Logging is already encroaching. It is a cruel irony that after becoming known to science, the bonobo is heading for oblivion.