Positional Behavior in Zoo-Housed Bonobos (Pan paniscus)

Understanding the expression and variability of positional behavior is essential for interpreting behavioral flexibility, with implications for both evolutionary reconstructions and animal welfare. As data on bonobos remain limited, this study aimed to characterize the positional repertoire of a zoo-housed bonobo group and assess how it varies according to age class, enclosure design and provisioning practices. Using 5-min individual continuous focal sampling with video recording, we quantified the positional behavior of 17 zoo-housed bonobos at La Vallée des Singes (France). We compared behavior across three age classes, between indoor and outdoor enclosures, as well as between provisioning and non-provisioning periods. Concerning posture, no variation was observed across age classes. Sitting was the most frequent posture across all contexts, while the overall postural repertoire varied according to enclosure and provisioning practices. Concerning locomotion, differences were observed between adults and juveniles. Pronograde walking was consistently the most frequent mode, particularly in the outdoor context. Provisioning practices had a significant impact on the locomotor repertoire in both indoor and outdoor contexts. These results suggest that age influences locomotor behavior, but not postural behavior. In addition, bonobos adjust their positional repertoire in response to external structural and activity factors, reflecting differences in substrate availability, usage, and food provisioning. These findings highlight the behavioral flexibility of bonobos, with implications for captive management and our understanding of great ape positional flexibility, both extant and extinct.