Our Ancestors

When I was at UCLA I took one Psychology Class as a filler elective. It was a waste of time because I hate Psychology. The entire social science to me is based mainly on speculation and first-world problems. The only reason this class appealed to me was because it was the Psychology of Sex. Even though it was the only class at UCLA I got a C in, I managed to learn a few interesting things.

Among them, I was introduced to the Bonobo Monkey. Our professor had done some research on these crazy little creatures because they enjoyed, cough cough, pleasuring themselves if you will. We watched videos of these horny little fur balls sitting around for hours playing with themselves and cracking up. Bonobos, or pygmy chimpanzees, live only in the Congo River Basin and are notable for using sex for greetings, reconciliations, and favors for food. ( so many jokes...)

(Mark Wahlberg in Planet of the Apes anyone?)


So, to my delight, I recently read that a new population of Bonobos, who by the way are one of humankind's closest genetic relatives, has been discovered deep in a forest in Africa's Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The group may number as many as 3,000, and scientists speculate that this is perhaps the largest known concentration of bonobos anywhere,—a significant addition to a recent estimated a grand total of 10,000. The thriving new population may owe its success to its location—partly within a private ranch—and to the local Bateke people

"We consider them human, our ancestors," a Bateke man said. "We don't eat them, and we don't kill them."

Awesome.