The Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to the bonobo (Pan paniscus), an endangered ape. The dense equatorial forests south of the Congo River are an important part of the bonobo's habitat. Bonobos and chimpanzees are the closest living relatives of humans, with 98.7% of our genetic code shared between them. The bonobo is the last great ape to have been discovered scientifically, and there is still much to learn about them. 

They are important seed dispersers, which is essential for forest regeneration. Invertebrates and small vertebrates have both been observed being eaten by them. Their forest habitat covers about 500,000 sq. miles, and if they consume meat, it is typically accidental rather than the product of a planned hunt. The Congo, Kasai, and Lualaba rivers serve as its boundaries. Bonobos are becoming more and more endangered throughout their range.