Bonobo (Pan paniscus) Conservation Strategy 2012–2022

38

Strategy 2: Consultation and collaboration with local actors 

Strategic objectives Priority actions

Priority level 

Moderate

 ê

High 

 

êê

Very high

 êêê

S2/O1 

By 2015, land-use 

and macro-zoning 

plans developed for 

the four strongholds 

that reconcile 

the development 

aspirations of 

local populations 

with the long-term 

preservation of viable 

bonobo populations

Identify priority areas for land-use and macro-zoning 

plans

êêê

Gather ecological, social and economic data for the zones 

in question

êêê

Elaborate and implement a public participation strategy

êê

Elaborate land-use and macro-zoning planning in 

collaboration with all local stakeholders (provincial 

government services, NGOs, private sector)

êê

S2/O2

By 2022, targeted 

sustainable 

alternative activities 

have resulted in 

increased local 

support and 

decreased pressure 

on bonobos (as 

demonstrated 

by surveys and 

monitoring) in the 

four strongholds

Elaborate a strategic plan supporting activities aimed at 

improving the sustainability of subsistence activities. The 

plan should identify:

•  selection criteria for priority sites in the four strongholds

•  intervention methods (e.g., improving agricultural 

techniques, development of agricultural and other 

NTFPs, ways to improve access to markets, 

appropirate social interventions)

•  monitoring indicators

•  projects to be implemented

êêê

Support project implementation and monitor impacts 

on local attitudes and behaviour towards bonobo 

conservation, and on bonobo numbers

êê

S2/O3

By 2018, bonobo 

conservation issues 

are integrated 

into national 

development plans 

(and local/provincial 

management plans)

Promote establishment of a mechanism that allows 

the systematic involvement of ICCN/MECNT in inter-

ministerial consultations relating to national development 

plans in the bonobo range. In particular there should be 

regular consultation with the Ministries of:

•  Infrastructure, Public Works and Reconstruction 

(particularly “Pro-routes”)

•  Agriculture

•  Decentralisation and Land-use

•  Planning

•  Environment

•  Defence

•  Justice

êê

Maintain a permanent dialogue with independent 

investors (agriculture, logging, mining) operating in the 

bonobo range to ensure that bonobo conservation issues 

are taken into consideration

ê

4.5.3 Strategy 3 Public Awareness and Lobbying 

Ignorance and non-respect of the law, together with poor understanding of conservation issues, 

are threats that can be addressed through wide-reaching public-awareness campaigns and lobby-

ing of decision-makers. The four main targets are:

•  State institutions whose decisions more-or-less directly affect the protection of bono-

bos (Justice, Infrastructure, Defence, Environment, Agriculture, Education), at national 

and regional levels

•  Local communities and their representatives

•  Urban dwellers who consume forest resources

•  Private investors operating in the bonobo’s range (logging, agriculture, mining, trans-

port and communications)

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39

Given the scale of intervention necessary, in terms of geographic scope and the range of targets it 

is essential that this strategy makes use of the skills of all actors involved in bonobo conservation. 

This will require the creation of partnerships to implement the various components of this strategy. 

Indeed public awareness (sensitization) is a key component of almost every bonobo conservation 

project currently active. The association Amis des Bonobos du Congo is a notable in this domain. 

Lola ya Bonobo, the bonobo sanctuary in Kinshasa, welcomes more than 20,000 visitors (school 

children and other citizens) every year. Additional public awareness and lobbying activities are 

covered by Strategy 2 (consultation and collaboration with local actors).

Strategy 3: Public awareness and lobbying 

Strategic objectives Priority actions

Priority level 

Moderate

 ê

High 

 

êê

Very high

 êêê

S3/O1

By 2014, a detailed 

nationwide 

intervention strategy 

to increase public 

awareness and 

support bonobo 

conservation has 

been developed

Elaborate intervention strategy in consultation with all 

conservation actors. The strategy should identify:

•  targets

•  objectives for each target

•  intervention methods for each target

•  implementing partners

•  a budget

•  a monitoring plan to measure impacts of the 

interventions

êêê

S3/O2

By 2018, 

implementation 

of the strategy 

targeting buffer 

zones around PAs 

results in increased 

support for bonobo 

conservation*

•  Establish local partnerships to implement activities, 

including training of teams, an environmental 

programme, and targeted campaigns (as defined in the 

strategy)

•  Support development and production of appropriate 

materials for the target audience (schoolbooks, posters, 

films, plays, etc.)

•  Monitor results with pre and post surveys of awareness/

attitudes and how they relate to bonobo presence in 

bushmeat markets

êêê

S3/O3

By 2016, 

implementation of 

the strategy targeting 

urban populations 

results in increased 

support to bonobo 

conservation**

•  Establish partnerships for implementation of activities in 

accordance with S3/O1

•  Support the implementation of activities that include 

the development of appropriate materials for the target 

audience (posters, films, radio and TV broadcasts, 

school visits, promotional material, etc.)

•  Monitor results with pre and post surveys on awareness/

attitudes and how they relate to the demand for bonobo 

meat and their presence in urban markets

êêê

S3/O4

By 2016, 

implementation 

of the strategy 

targeting government 

ministries at national 

and provincial levels 

results in increased 

political will to 

support bonobo 

conservation efforts

***

•  Establish partnerships for implementation of activities in 

accordance with S3/O1

•  Support implementation of activities that include the 

development of appropriate materials for the target 

audience (posters, copies of relevant legal texts, films, 

promotional material, workshops, etc.)

•  Monitor results (with pre and post surveys and with 

baseline data on wildlife-related crimes carried out by 

public officials, corruption cases, sentences handed 

down, and other indicators defined in the strategy) on 

awareness/attitudes and how they relate to bonobo 

conservation (reduced trafficking, political support for 

PA creation, political support for sentencing of public 

officials involved in wildlife-related crimes, etc.)

êêê

Table, Strategy 3, continued on next page

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