Great Ape Trust bonobos get fit

Des Moines, Iowa – May 28, 2010 – Anyone who has ever struggled with weight gain knows the challenges of trying to shed a few pounds, particularly as we grow older.  Food is an important part of our culture and the sharing of it often equates to our caring and affection for one another.  The same holds true for the bonobos at Great Ape Trust – and like many of the humans with whom they share 98.5 percent of the same DNA, the bonobos needed to make some changes.  While it might be too soon to add the Bonobo Diet to the list of successful weight loss programs, the results this year at Great Ape Trust have been impressive.

Kanzi, the world famous bonobo at the scientific research center in southeast Des Moines has dropped 45 pounds over the past six months thanks to his improved and healthier diet. Gone are the food items and eating habits associated with many overweight humans. In their place are more fresh vegetables, fruits and lean proteins. The result is a thinner and more energetic bonobo at Great Ape Trust. 

“It’s a few simple changes, we now focus on providing good protein and reducing the amount of complex carbohydrates and processed foods they grew accustomed to over the years,” said Tyler Romine, bonobo laboratory supervisor at Great Ape Trust. “They now eat chicken, fish, eggs, tofu and some nuts.”

Each bonobo has a daily calorie count established by a veterinarian. Twice a week, the bonobos are served ape chow, a nutrient source that contains protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Eliminated from the bonobos’ diet are packaged fruit juices and sweetened soft drinks, replaced with water, herbal tea and some diet drinks.

“Sometimes being a bonobo is a lot like being human – particularly as we grow older. If you don’t always eat healthy and become somewhat sedentary, you’re going to gain weight,” said William Fields, director of scientific research at Great Ape Trust.  “Fortunately our staff and the bonobos have tackled this problem and the results of the new diet have been dramatic.”

Late last year, Kanzi tipped the scales at 220 pounds – he’s now down to 175 pounds, a reduction of more than 20 percent.

 “It’s not an unhealthy weight loss, we just cut out the excess. He’s feeling a lot better and has more energy,” added Romine. “There were probably physical things that he wanted to do in the past but couldn’t. Now, he participates in more play activities with the other bonobos and caretakers, he’s getting to be like one of the young boys in the lab and that’s good to see.”

Romine said Matata, the 40-year-old matriarch of the bonobo family, has lost about 20 pounds and Panbanisha, another adult female, has also started to shed some weight. The three younger bonobos, Nyota, Elikya and Maisha have experienced no problems with their weight.