<DIV>When acclaimed author Deni Béchard first learned of the last living bonobos ? matriarchal great apes that are, alongside the chimpanzee, our closest relatives in the animal kingdom ? he was completely astonished. How could the world possibly accept the extinction of this majestic species? Béchard discovered that one relatively small NGO, the Bonobo Conservation Initiative (BCI), has done more to save bonobos than many far larger organizations. Based on the author’s extensive travels in the Congo and Rwanda, this book explores how BCI has been so successful, offering a powerful, truly postcolonial model of conservation. BCI works closely and respectfully with local communities, addressing the underlying problems of poverty and unemployment. Rather than strong-arm the Congolese, BCI works to build local consensus for their projects through community talks, radio programs, formal schooling, and educational songs and concerts by Congolese pop stars. On a global level, BCI works with carbon credit initiatives for funding. This struggle is far from easy, but Béchard’s moving account is filled with portraits of the extraordinary individuals who are making it happen.</DIV>