#apetober

“The world has lost a treasure. Kanzi unexpectedly passed away on the afternoon of March 18th, 2025, at the age of 44. Kanzi was his normal, happy self that day and did not exhibit any signs of discomfort or illness. He foraged for his breakfast and spent the morning chasing Teco through the tower. After enjoying enrichment surprises in the greenhouse, Kanzi and Nyota laid down for a grooming session. Shortly after, the staff noted that Kanzi was unresponsive. Upon examination, Kanzi did not have a heartbeat or any evidence of respiration. Although we will not know the cause of death until we receive the necropsy results, Kanzi was being treated for heart disease, and he participated in regular ECGs and blood pressure monitoring.

Kanzi was an extraordinary individual who revolutionized our understanding of animal cognition and communication. As a young bonobo, researchers were attempting to teach Kanzi’s adoptive mom, Matata, human language. Much to the surprise of the scientists, Kanzi quickly excelled in not only using abstract symbols, but in understanding spoken English. He learned to communicate using a lexigram board with hundreds of symbols, allowing him to express his desires and needs with precision. Kanzi's eagerness to interact with humans, enthusiasm for problem-solving, and love of food made for the fun-loving, motivated, and impactful ape that Kanzi was. Kanzi gifted us with a window into the minds of our closest living relatives, and his lessons about the bonobo species, as well as our own, will continue to live on.

As an ambassador, Kanzi bridged the gap between his species and ours, inspiring people across the globe to conserve endangered bonobos and their habitats. His remarkable life was chronicled in numerous media outlets, including TIME Magazine, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Ape Initiative has been working with Wildstar Films on an exclusive documentary about Kanzi’s life and Kanzi's immeasurable impact on science and our understanding of his species, as well as our own.

Kanzi was a superstar through and through, but he was also so much more than that. He was the dearest friend to his bonobo family members, helping them grow as individuals and teaching them the best parts of being a bonobo. Kanzi deeply trusted his human caregivers and was always eager to chase and tickle with them. At the age of 44, Kanzi was still so full of life. His joy and happiness shine on in his bonobo family members: Elikya, Nyota, Maisha, Teco, Mali, and Clara.