Kanzi's New Role: Father of Teco

(Des Moines, Iowa – January 27, 2011) – He’s the most famous bonobo in the world.  Kanzi, a language-competent bonobo at Great Ape Trust, has been the subject of dozens of scientific articles and international documentaries. He’s been featured in National Geographic, Smithsonian and TIME magazines.  Last fall, his story was presented on The Oprah Winfrey Show,  CNN’s Anderson Cooper visited Kanzi at The Trust’s research center in Des Moines, Iowa. Kanzi has even played music with Sir Paul McCartney and Peter Gabriel.

But these days, the 30-year-old Kanzi, has a new role in his life – father to his baby son, Teco.  Scientist with Special Standing at Great Ape Trust, Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh said it’s an important new position for Kanzi and one he’s accepted enthusiastically.

“Kanzi’s behavior is wholly appropriate to Teco’s emerging intentionality and freewill,” said Savage-Rumbaugh. “Kanzi is both cognizant and respectful of these emerging changes in Teco. His actions are designed to scaffold Teco toward more intricate and complex social and communicative behaviors.”

Savage-Rumbaugh added that the kind of behavior that Kanzi displays can’t be taught by employing rewards or didactic teaching methods.  She said such actions can only be passed on through the interweaving of social interactions and social bonding.

“That’s how it was done with Kanzi and now he is doing it with Teco,” said Savage-Rumbaugh.

A video clip posted on Great Ape Trust’s YouTube Channel shows Kanzi interacting with his son, Teco, in the research center’s greenhouse. Dr. Sue’s comments appear throughout the video to help the viewer better understand this special moment between bonobo father and son.

Additionally, the Kanzi and Teco interaction has been chronicled in an NPR blog, Lessons From a Bonobo Parent, by biologist Dr. Ursula Goodenough with Washington University.