Hi Lola

Thank you for your comment on July 27th, 2007. You said:” Glad to hear of your important program. Just wondering if there are any future plans for Bonobo tourism to publisize and protect the reserve.“

That is a valid interest. In fact, last year I began contacting safari outfitters with expertise in this region. We are still in the talking stage and I have not yet invited any of them to the site. We will soon have a team from National Geographic Society Expeditions Council - Adventure magazine visiting. I am looking at that opportunity as a chance to get good input from outsiders.

Actually, there are a number of opportunities both in the

Salonga
National Park

and in the Bososandja Domaine Réservé Naturelle [more on this in another blog] and we are working on building an infrastructure.

At the perennial pools (in the Bososandja forest) where we often observe the bonobos … even experience different communities meeting and interacting at the site … we built an observation blind. The bonobos know that we are there but it seems to give them some sense of calm as if it is a barrier that keeps us in our place. Last year we constructed a satellite camp that is much closer to the pools; prior to that we had been hiking about 45 minutes each direction to reach the pools from our main camp. Some of the hilly terrain is quite rigorous to traverse.

We are seeking input from similar projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo and hope to benefit from others ‘lessons learned.’ This is all still very early … but looking forward.

Thank you for your question.

Jo Thompson, Director

Lukuru Project

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