Bonobo Family Spinning Competition

The Bonobo Family from the Twycross seemed to be having a spinning competition. First up is mum showing how it's done. She is really going for it. You can really see her long legs which sets them apart from the Chimpanzee. She's looking around to see if she's been watched or not. The primate is even spinning on one leg. Next up is dad, he's taking the stage/Platform near the window to show his skill and performing for the crowd. Looking at him ‘breakdancing’, I think mum deserves the stage, she's definitely better at it. Last but not least is the little baby bonobo, who is copieng mum and dad with a little twirl. Formally called the pygmy chimpanzee, the dwarf or gracile chimpanzee the Bonobos are part of the great ape family and are our closest living relatives, sharing around 98% of our DNA. Like so many animals these ape species are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is threatened by habitat destruction and human population growth.

Twycross Zoo is the only zoo in Great Britain that breeds the Bonobos, which are often mistaken for chimpanzees.