IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 738 
Expressing support for designation of February 14 as World Bonobo Day. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 14, 2018 
Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mr. ISSA, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. COHEN, Mr. GRI-
JALVA, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. LEE, Mr. 
MCGOVERN, Mr. POCAN, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. SERRANO, and Mr. HAS-
TINGS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for designation of February 14 as World 
Bonobo Day. 
Whereas the Bonobo Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organi-
zation that seeks to elevate the status of the bonobo, an 
endangered species, and coordinate activities that support 
the preservation of bonobos in their natural habitat; 
Whereas bonobos are classified as great apes and are found 
only in the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo 
(DRC), Africa, between the Congo River, the Lualaba 
River, and the Kasai/Sankuru Rivers; 
Whereas the International Union for Conservation of Nature 
(IUCN) has placed bonobos on the endangered species 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:32 Feb 15, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR738.IH
HR738
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
•HRES 738 IH 
list, stating that there are as few as 15,000 bonobos left 
in the wild and their population is decreasing; 
Whereas bonobos share almost 99 percent of the same DNA 
with humans and they are closer genetically to humans 
than they are to gorillas or orangutans; 
Whereas bonobos are the only matriarchal great ape, and fe-
male alliances enable bonobos to maintain social domi-
nance in their groups; 
Whereas bonobos primarily resolve tensions within and be-
tween their groups through sexual contact, not through 
fatal aggression; 
Whereas the Bonobo Project works with other bonobo organi-
zations, such as Lola ya Bonobo, the only sanctuary for 
bonobos in the world; the staff at Lola ya Bonobo work 
to rescue, rehabilitate, and release bonobos back into the 
wild; and Lola ya Bonobo is located in Kinshasa, DRC, 
on 75 acres of forested land; 
Whereas the Bonobo Project also works with the Wamba 
Committee for Bonobo Research, located near the Luo 
Scientific Reserve in Wamba, DRC, which is the original 
site for bonobo research founded by Dr. Takayoshi Kano 
in 1973; 
Whereas bonobos are an endangered species for several rea-
sons, but mainly due to poaching and habitat destruction 
and fragmentation; 
Whereas seven United States zoos have bonobos including the 
San Diego Zoo, Milwaukee County Zoo, Jacksonville Zoo, 
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Cincinnati Zoo and Botan-
ical Garden, Memphis Zoo, and Fort Worth Zoo; the Mil-
waukee County Zoo sponsors the Bonobo and Congo Bio-
diversity Initiative; several of the zoos support bonobo 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:32 Feb 15, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR738.IH
HR738
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
•HRES 738 IH 
sanctuary, research, and conservation efforts in the 
Congo; and the Ape Cognition and Conservation Initia-
tive near Des Moines, Iowa, houses and studies a small 
group of bonobos; and 
Whereas February 14, Valentine’s Day, would be an appro-
priate date to designate as World Bonobo Day: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports designation of World Bonobo Day; 
and 
(2) encourages the people of the United States 
to participate in activities that help to educate the 
public about the need to protect bonobos as uniquely 
matriarchal, loving, and endangered great apes. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:19 Feb 15, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR738.IH
HR738
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS