Bonobo Kanzi: 44, Language Pioneer, Toolmaker, Dies Suddenly

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Kanzi, the 44-year-old bonobo known for understanding spoken English and using symbol communication, died unexpectedly on March 18, 2025, in Iowa.

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No signs of illness or distress were observed by caretakers before his death, though he was being treated for heart disease.

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Born in captivity in 1980, Kanzi learned to use hundreds of lexigram symbols and comprehended roughly 3,000 spoken English words according to primatologist Sue Savage-Rumbaugh.

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Unlike other great apes who required direct training, Kanzi naturally acquired communication skills while observing his adoptive mother's language lessons.

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Archaeologists taught Kanzi prehistoric toolmaking, and he eventually developed his own unique stone-flaking techniques, offering rare insights into early human cognition.

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The tech-savvy bonobo mastered video games including Pac-Man and Minecraft within minutes of being shown how to play.

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Ape Initiative has partnered with Wildstar Films to produce a documentary about Kanzi's revolutionary contributions to our understanding of animal intelligence.

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When not changing how we view ape cognition, Kanzi enjoyed watching Clint Eastwood films and movies featuring primates like Quest for Fire.

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He maintained close bonds with his bonobo family members Elikya, Nyota, Maisha, Teco, Mali, and Clara at the Ape Initiative facility.

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