By Natasha Tworoski

Finally! A reason for everyone, single or not, to celebrate February 14th! 2017 will mark the very first annual World Bonobo Day, spreading love of this rare great ape to all.

In 2015, conservationist Ashley Stone founded The Bonobo Project, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness about bonobos while also aiding in the conservation of this incredible species. Already a platform for uniting bonobo conservationists, rescuers and admirers worldwide, The Bonobo Project is also responsible for creating this new reason to celebrate an amazing species.

It can be hard to gain momentum in the effort to protect bonobos from extinction. Why? Because the first question you usually get is, “What is a bonobo?” This great ape species is found only in the Democratic Republic of Congo and diverged from chimpanzees about 2 million years ago. This means the bonobo is also our closest relative, just like the chimpanzee. Also like the chimpanzee, they are an endangered species and their numbers are decreasing.

It’s estimated that there are fewer than 50,000 bonobos left, and possibly as few as 15,000.

PASA has joined The Bonobo Project to bring conservation organizations together and celebrate the first World Bonobo Day. We have committed to raising $2,000 as part of the crowdfunding campaign for World Bonobo Day – but we can only do it with your help.

The bonobos need your help. If we don’t all contribute, this amazing species may soon disappear forever.

Please click here to help us reach our goal of raising $2,000 before February 14!

Bonobos who have been confiscated from the black market bushmeat and illicit pet trade have one place to go: PASA member Lola ya Bonobo. No other sanctuary in the world is able to rescue orphaned bonobos! Founded in 1994 during a violent civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lola ya Bonobo has successfully reintroduced bonobos back to the wild on a protected reserve in northern DRC and they are currently preparing to do it again early in 2017!

Sadly, some of the bonobos they rescue are too traumatized from the terror of being taken away from their family at such a young age and do not develop all the skills needed to survive in the wild. For those individuals, they will always have a safe home living among other bonobos across Lola ya Bonobo’s 75 acres of forests, where diligent caretakers make sure they always have what they need.

Before February 14th, please show your love to this incredible species by joining the movement to save them from extinction!