Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative facts for kids
| Formation | September 28, 2004 |
|---|---|
| Type | Sanctuary |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) |
| Purpose | understanding the origins and future of culture, language, tools and intelligence |
| Headquarters | USA |
| Location |
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The Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative (ACCI) is a special place in Des Moines, Iowa. It's like a sanctuary and a science lab all in one! Here, scientists study smart apes called bonobos. They want to learn how bonobos think, communicate, use tools, and even how they learn culture.
The facility was first announced in 2002. Its first ape residents arrived in 2004. Today, it is home to a group of seven bonobos. These bonobos are part of studies that do not harm them. Scientists learn about their thinking and communication skills.
Discovering Ape Intelligence
Meet the Bonobos at ACCI!
The Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative is set on a big piece of land, about 230 acres. It is home to a family of seven bonobos: Kanzi, Elikya, Maisha, Nyota, Teco, Clara, and Mali.
Three of these bonobos learned important parts of human culture. They learned during their first year of life, which is a very important time for learning. Kanzi, for example, learned to understand language just by watching humans. Humans were trying to teach language to Matata, who was the grandmother of the bonobo family.
Nyota is special because she was raised by both humans and a bonobo mother who understood language. The youngest bonobo, Teco, helps scientists learn about how language learning can affect genes.
All three of these bonobos talk with humans using "lexigram" symbols. These are special symbols printed on paper or shown on computer touch screens. There are over 400 different lexigram symbols!
Amazing Bonobo Abilities
Scientists have often said that these bonobos can think and make plans. They also seem to understand simple spoken English. Kanzi has been filmed doing many amazing things. He has been seen making music, building a fire, and even creating simple stone tools.
More than 400 science papers and many books have been written about the bonobos' abilities. These abilities are very close to human skills. Films showing what they can do have been shown all over the world. They have even been featured on TV shows like 60 Minutes in Australia. Famous people like Oprah, Anderson Cooper, Paul McCartney, and Peter Gabriel have also visited and shared their stories.
