Elikya's Upbringing

Elikya's name tells a lot about her: Elikya means hope in Lingala and ya Lola indicates her birthplace. Elikya ya Lola was born at our sanctuary in 2005. She is the daughter of Semendwa, the leader of our largest group of bonobos at Lola.

Her birth was a sign of hope that our mission to ensure a wild and healthy future for bonobos was making progress. Elikya has grown up at Lola, blossoming into a wonderful adult bonobo who shares her mom's caring and intelligence.

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In the wild, male bonobos remain with their birth group, but females tend to emigrate from their group during their teenage years. At times Elikya has shown mild interest in separating from her mother's group, but so far, she hasn't wanted to take the leap. As a result, she continues enjoying the social clout of being Semendwa’s daughter!

Journey to Motherhood

Several years ago, Elikya leaned on her mother, Semendwa, for support when she lost her first baby. Everyone was moved to see how Semendwa beautifully supported Elikya through her grief.

When Elikya became pregnant again in 2019, the staff anxiously anticipated the arrival of her baby. Lola's veterinarians kept a close eye on Elikya's pregnancy, and the efforts paid off on Oct. 2, 2019, when Elikya gave birth to a healthy baby boy and Semendwa became a grandmother!

Elikya's son was named Molende -- meaning zeal or energy  -- and the successful birth was celebrated far and wide. 

A Sweet Pair