The Swingers

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Nature Documentary hosted by Eric Campbell, published by ABC broadcasted as part of ABC Foreign Correspondent series in 2010 - English narration

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The Swingers Broadcast: 14/09/2010 Reporter: Eric Campbell

They make Carrie Bradshaw and her gal pals look like stitched-up prudes and the Playboy Mansion a sleepy retirement home. They are Bonobos, the original swingers – frisky, fun loving apes and sex is never very far from their minds.

‘They have sex in all flavours. They’re bisexual; some people call them pansexual, female-female sex is actually the most common type of sex.’ Sally Coxe, Bonobo Conservation Initiative

In a remote corner of an isolated pocket of Africa, girl-power is proving to be a successful and cohesive community hierarchy. Bonobos have their spats but it rarely gets nasty. They care for each other and share with each other. It’s behaviour that’s in stark contrast to much of the human behaviour surrounding them and of course evident around the world.

The Bonobos are inhabitants of the Democratic Republic of Congo – a war torn, strife ridden, poverty struck nation that in recent decades has seen some of the very worst human behaviour possible.

Standing between the Bonobos and the encroaching human threat are a dedicated group of conservationists and aid workers trying to improve the often dire circumstances of locals and empower them to protect the Bonobos.

‘People are the threat to the bonobos and if we don’t take care of the people at the same time we’re not going to be taking care of the forest and the Bonobos.’ Sally Coxe, Bonobo Conservation Initiative

Eric Campbell ventures deep into the African jungle to see these extraordinary apes in the wild and to talk to the people trying to understand them and ensure that they prosper. Even now it’s incredibly difficult to reach the Bonobos’ jungle home. There are no commercial flights to the area, no roads - just bone-jarring tracks - and a couple of clapped out cars in the entire region. Locals walk or travel by dugout canoe. There’s no electricity or running water, and villagers still use drums to communicate.

Nevertheless it’s a fascinating and enthralling journey of discovery where we learn a great deal about the least understood of the Great Apes who make love not war.