Main Menu

Wildlife
- Close
- - We protect wildlife in Britain and around the world by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink of extinction. We do this through ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Wild places
- Close
- - Some habitats contain such a richness of life that we need to protect them at all odds. We are working to preserve ancient woodlands, orchards and wood pastures and parklands, as well as the countless species they support.
What we do
- Close
- - Everything we do is based on scientific evidence. We gather this through surveys, which you can take part in, and by awarding research grants to the most inspiring scientists worldwide. This evidence guides our conservation efforts and is shared through our events and publications.
Who we are
- Close
- - People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. We are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and our team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
Success stories
- Close
- - We strive to bring our most threatened species in the UK and around the world back from the brink of extinction. Our successes come from ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Get involved
- Close
- - There are so many ways you can help save endangered species. Fancy taking part in a survey, joining us on a wildlife event or becoming a regular supporter?
Shop
- Close
- - Support our work in our shop with a range of charity gifts, home-ware, cards and more. 100% of the profits go directly to help wildlife both in the UK an overseas.
Donate
- Close
- - There is nothing natural about the alarming rate at which we are losing animals and their homes. It is absolutely avoidable. We can stop the loss of our wildlife – but we need your support. You can act now by choosing to give to our cause. Thank you.

Basket Search

Donate

PTES News Basket Search

Wildlife
- Close
- - We protect wildlife in Britain and around the world by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink of extinction. We do this through ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Wild places
- Close
- - Some habitats contain such a richness of life that we need to protect them at all odds. We are working to preserve ancient woodlands, orchards and wood pastures and parklands, as well as the countless species they support.
What we do
- Close
- - Everything we do is based on scientific evidence. We gather this through surveys, which you can take part in, and by awarding research grants to the most inspiring scientists worldwide. This evidence guides our conservation efforts and is shared through our events and publications.
Who we are
- Close
- - People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. We are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and our team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
Success stories
- Close
- - We strive to bring our most threatened species in the UK and around the world back from the brink of extinction. Our successes come from ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Get involved
- Close
- - There are so many ways you can help save endangered species. Fancy taking part in a survey, joining us on a wildlife event or becoming a regular supporter?
Shop
- Close
- - Support our work in our shop with a range of charity gifts, home-ware, cards and more. 100% of the profits go directly to help wildlife both in the UK an overseas.
Donate
- Close
- - There is nothing natural about the alarming rate at which we are losing animals and their homes. It is absolutely avoidable. We can stop the loss of our wildlife – but we need your support. You can act now by choosing to give to our cause. Thank you.

Preventing bonobo hunting in DRC Iyondji Community Reserve

Threats facing these great apes

Bonobos are our closest relatives and yet they live such an elusive life in the forests of Central Africa that we still know very little about them, compared with chimpanzees and gorillas. We have been supporting African Wildlife Foundation to work with local rangers in the Iyondji Nature Reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Iyondji is home to 700 bonobos. The main threats facing these great apes are loss of forest habitat and poaching. Encroachment by settled groups means that pressures on wildlife have increased.

Rangers on patrol

There are estimated to be fewer than 20,000 bonobos left globally, and those that do remain are scattered. Our project has involved training rangers to patrol Iyondji forest regularly. Ensuring that ranger teams are walking across the reserve frequently means that potential loggers and hunters are deterred from using the nature reserve.

Our project has involved training rangers to patrol Iyondji forest regularly. Ensuring that ranger teams are walking across the reserve frequently means that potential loggers and hunters are deterred from using the nature reserve.

The teams also count bonobos, their nests and any other signs of the animals as they walk along the transects. This means they keep a good record of where the apes are and, importantly, how many of them there are. Our rangers also worked closely with the local community to raise awareness about why it’s important to protect these apes. They then work alongside the local community to ensure the reserve is not subject to logging or hunting activities that are unsustainable.

ICCN-patrols-Iyondji-July-2018 PTES Bonobo success story bonobo hunting — ICCN patrols Lyondji

Reducing bonobo hunting

We are pleased to report that human activity and bonobo hunting levels have dropped substantially over the course of the project and there have been no reports of bonobo hunting in the last year. We hope that that our continued work and awareness raising about the plight of the species will lead to the people living alongside these wonderful animals becoming proud and protective of their local wildlife in the future.

Thank you for helping us fund this vital work to save bonobos

Donate today to support more conservation success stories

Donate today