Keyword: thinking

Photo

ANI106-00123

Kanzi the Bonobo (Pan paniscus) at the Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative (ACCI) in Des Moines, Iowa.
Bonobos are listed as endangered on the IUCN red list.

The Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative is the only research facility in North America to exclusively house and study bonobos. The Ape Initiative’s programs aim to enrich the lives of bonobos and increase awareness of bonobos and other great apes worldwide through responsible and sustainable research and conservation education. The Ape Initiative is situated on 230 acres in Des Moines, Iowa, USA – with over 6 acres of ape-accessible space. The Ape Initiative bonobos include the world-famous Kanzi, whose comprehension of spoken English and use of a lexigram keyboard has been well documented. All bonobos living at the Ape Initiative participate in a variety of husbandry activities as well as behavioral and cognitive research aimed at uncovering the evolutionary origins of human language, cognition, and behavior.