Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative is a
great ape sanctuary and scientific research facility in
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...
. The facility was announced in 2002 and received its first ape residents in 2004, conceived of as the Great Ape Trust,
or Iowa Primate Learning Sanctuary, launched in part by the
primatologist Sue Savage-Rumbaugh and Des Moines businessman Ted Townsend.
[Stern, Lindsay (July 2020).]
What Can Bonobos Teach Us About the Nature of Language?
''Smithsonian Magazine: Science''. Renamed in 2013, it is currently home to a colony of six
bonobo
The bonobo (; ''Pan paniscus''), also historically called the pygmy chimpanzee (less often the dwarf chimpanzee or gracile chimpanzee), is an endangered great ape and one of the two species making up the genus ''Pan (genus), Pan'' (the other bei ...
s involved in non-invasive interdisciplinary studies of their cognitive and communicative capabilities. Ape Initiative is now supported by
Kennesaw State University.
Research
Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative is situated on 230 acres and houses a family of six bonobos, named Elikya, Maisha,
Nyota, Teco, Clara, and Mali. It housed
Kanzi up to his 2025 death.
Three of the bonobos learned important elements of human culture during their crucial first year of life. As a youngster, Kanzi acquired language competency by simply watching humans attempt to teach language to Matata, the wild-caught grandmother of the family. Nyota is the first ape reared both by humans and a language-competent ape mother. The youngest, Teco, provides a unique look into the
epigenetic effects of language acquisition. All three of these bonobos communicate with humans using a collection of over 400 "
lexigram" symbols printed on paper or appearing on computer touch screens.
It has been repeatedly claimed that these bonobos can think, make plans and understand simple spoken English. Kanzi was filmed making music, building a fire, and crafting simple stone tools. More than 400 scientific papers and many books document the capabilities of the bonobos, and films portraying their achievements have been broadcast worldwide. Television coverage includes features with
Oprah,
Anderson Cooper, ''
60 Minutes
''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
'' (in Australia), BBC,
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
and
Peter Gabriel.
References
External links
Official site
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Bonobos
Primate sanctuaries
Primate research centers
Buildings and structures in Des Moines, Iowa
Education in Des Moines, Iowa
Museums in Des Moines, Iowa
Non-profit organizations based in Iowa
Environmental organizations established in 2004
Research institutes established in 2004
2004 establishments in Iowa