congolese-dancers.jpgA new reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo will save some of the region’s last pristine forests: ensuring the survival of the embattled bonobo—the least-known of the world’s four great ape species—and protecting a wide variety of biodiversity from the Congo peacock to the dwarf crocodile.

The new Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve covering 1,847 square miles (4,875 sq km) is noteworthy for another reason: every step of its creation—from biological surveys to reserve management—has been run by the local Congolese NGO and villages of Kokolopori.

To succeed, some environmental organizations have learned, give control to the local people.

(Continue reading about bonobos at MongoBay.com)

Thanks to Fred Werner for sending the link! 

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