{"id":56996,"date":"2026-04-23T09:07:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T09:07:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/?p=56996"},"modified":"2026-04-23T09:07:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T09:07:11","slug":"bonobos-enjoy-pretend-tea-parties-and-chimps-think-rationally-why-apes-are-more-like-us-than-we-ever-thought-endangered-species","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/2026\/04\/23\/bonobos-enjoy-pretend-tea-parties-and-chimps-think-rationally-why-apes-are-more-like-us-than-we-ever-thought-endangered-species\/","title":{"rendered":"Bonobos enjoy pretend tea parties and chimps think rationally: why apes are more like us than we ever thought | Endangered species"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><span style=\"color:var(--drop-cap);font-weight:500\" class=\"dcr-15rw6c2\">C<\/span>lear plastic cups and pitchers adorned the wooden table in Des Moines, Iowa. Invisible juice was poured and presented to Kanzi, who enthusiastically chose the fake filled cup, playing along with the man who had come to visit. In many ways, it was the quintessential scene of a children\u2019s imaginary tea party. Only Kanzi, at 44 years old, was a bonobo.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The experiment, carried out at the Ape Initiative facility in 2024, was the first to empirically test and document pretend play in a great ape species, with the results published in the journal Science in February. The study adds to an expansive repertoire of research over the past decade that has uncovered robust similarities between ape and human behaviours, upending long-held beliefs about how we distinguish ourselves from our closest kin.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cIt seems to be a recurring thing in our field where people come up with reasons why humans are special and unique, and then scientists like me test it out, and we find that, actually, maybe we\u2019re not that special after all,\u201d says the study\u2019s lead author, Amalia Bastos, a comparative psychologist at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. \u201cThat animals, too, are capable of secondary representations or imagination.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Kanzi, who died last year, participated in several experiments with Bastos and her colleagues to test his ability to make believe. \u201cWe start all of these trials by saying, \u2018Kanzi, let\u2019s play a game. Let\u2019s find the juice.\u2019 That way we can at least verbally scaffold as much as possible,\u201d Bastos says.<\/p>\n<p><gu-island name=\"SelfHostedVideo\" priority=\"critical\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;atomId&quot;:&quot;6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178&quot;,&quot;fallbackImage&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0.0000000.jpg&quot;,&quot;fallbackImageAlt&quot;:&quot;An experiment showing Kanzi engaging with pretend objects, by identifying a glass full of 'juice'&quot;,&quot;fallbackImageAspectRatio&quot;:&quot;16:9&quot;,&quot;fallbackImageLoading&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;,&quot;fallbackImageSize&quot;:&quot;small&quot;,&quot;aspectRatio&quot;:1.7777777777777777,&quot;linkTo&quot;:&quot;Article-embed-MediaAtomBlockElement&quot;,&quot;posterImage&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0.0000000.jpg&quot;,&quot;sources&quot;:[{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0_480w.mp4&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;video\/mp4&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:270,&quot;width&quot;:480,&quot;aspectRatio&quot;:&quot;16:9&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0_720h.mp4&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;video\/mp4&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;aspectRatio&quot;:&quot;16:9&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0.m3u8&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;application\/vnd.apple.mpegurl&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:0,&quot;width&quot;:0,&quot;aspectRatio&quot;:&quot;16:9&quot;}],&quot;subtitleSize&quot;:&quot;medium&quot;,&quot;subtitleSource&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0.vtt&quot;,&quot;videoStyle&quot;:&quot;Loop&quot;,&quot;uniqueId&quot;:&quot;6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;An experiment showing Kanzi engaging with pretend objects, by identifying a glass full of 'juice'&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:10,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;isMainMedia&quot;:false,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;inline&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"video-container loop \" data-component=\"gu-video-loop\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1h8tp0x\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1bm3fpl\"><video id=\"video-6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\" tabindex=\"0\" data-testid=\"self-hosted-video-player\" data-link-name=\"gu-video-loop-pause-6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" preload=\"none\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" playsinline=\"\" class=\"dcr-y4oheo\"><track kind=\"subtitles\" src=\"https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0.vtt\" srclang=\"en\"\/><picture data-size=\"small\" class=\"dcr-zigv41\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0.0000000.jpg?width=220&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=16%3A9\" media=\"(min-width: 980px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 980px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0.0000000.jpg?width=220&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=16%3A9\" media=\"(min-width: 980px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0.0000000.jpg?width=160&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=16%3A9\" media=\"(min-width: 740px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 740px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0.0000000.jpg?width=160&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=16%3A9\" media=\"(min-width: 740px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09\/Evidence_for_representation_of_pretend_objects_by_Kanzi__a_language_trained_bonobo--6d774b0b-1e2a-4df1-83c8-e0781871d178-1.0.0000000.jpg?width=120&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=16%3A9\" media=\"(min-width: 320px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 320px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Bonobos-enjoy-pretend-tea-parties-and-chimps-think-rationally-why.jpg\" media=\"(min-width: 320px)\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"An experiment showing Kanzi engaging with pretend objects, by identifying a glass full of 'juice'\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Bonobos-enjoy-pretend-tea-parties-and-chimps-think-rationally-why.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" class=\"dcr-l300o4\"\/><\/picture><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1alawo7\"><svg width=\"36\" height=\"23\" viewbox=\"0 0 36 23\"><path d=\"M3.2 0l-3.2 3.3v16.4l3.3 3.3h18.7v-23h-18.8m30.4 1l-8.6 8v5l8.6 8h2.4v-21h-2.4\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">An experiment showing Kanzi engaging with pretend objects, by identifying a glass full of &#8216;juice&#8217;<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In one scenario, two cups were \u201cfilled\u201d with juice, and then one was \u201cemptied\u201d into the jug. Kanzi was then asked to indicate which cup contained juice. He chose correctly in 34 out of 50 trials, suggesting he could grasp the concept of a pretend beverage. In another test, he was asked to choose between real orange juice and pretend juice. In 14 out of the 18 trials, he chose the cup containing real juice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Kanzi\u2019s ability to pretend \u2013 to envision a reality beyond the one in front of him \u2013 would have been unthinkable just a few decades ago. In the 1990s, scientists acknowledged that apes were intelligent, that they could solve puzzles and use tools, that they built strong social relationships and could learn symbols and sign language, and that they could pass the mirror test, recognising their reflections to suggest some level of self-awareness.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">But primatologists and cognitive researchers were only just beginning to think about some of the more abstract and complex questions of culture, representation and theory of mind in great apes.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"40b82bce-1ea4-4c35-a9e1-7e35f454d136\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Kanzi in 2023. He took part in the first experiment to test pretend play in a great ape species. <\/span> Photograph: Handout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In recent years, scientists have unearthed dozens of stunning findings about great apes\u2019 mental capabilities. Chimpanzees and bonobos can remember past groupmates for decades. When presented with stronger evidence, chimpanzees rationally revise their previously held beliefs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Western lowland gorillas engage in kissing behaviours. Orangutans, bonobos, chimpanzees and gorillas playfully tease one another. Bonobos will cooperate across social borders with outsiders. And chimpanzees have a quirky and obsessive fascination with crystals, like human \u201cNew Age\u201d folk.<\/p>\n<aside data-spacefinder-role=\"supporting\" data-gu-name=\"pullquote\" class=\"dcr-19m4xhf\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 14\" style=\"fill:var(--pullquote-icon)\" class=\"dcr-scql1j\"><title>double quotation mark<\/title><path d=\"M5.255 0h4.75c-.572 4.53-1.077 8.972-1.297 13.941H0C.792 9.104 2.44 4.53 5.255 0Zm11.061 0H21c-.506 4.53-1.077 8.972-1.297 13.941h-8.686c.902-4.837 2.485-9.411 5.3-13.941Z\"\/><\/svg><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"dcr-zzndwp\"><p>These remarkable creatures have so much more going on under the surface than people give them credit for<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<footer><cite>Christopher Krupenye<\/cite><\/footer>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In particular, scientists have made significant strides in understanding apes\u2019 theory of mind. Once believed to be a distinctly human trait, theory of mind is the ability to understand that other individuals have their own thoughts, beliefs, desires, intentions and knowledge that may differ from our own.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cIn the last several decades, we\u2019ve seen transformative insights coming from a number of different research groups that all point to the idea that chimpanzees and other apes are extremely sensitive to their social partners,\u201d says Christopher Krupenye, a cognitive scientist at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, US.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThis is a case where 30 years ago the dominant view was there is no evidence whatsoever. And, today, the consensus is that there is an exciting capacity here.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"f48a1c6f-d6fd-4930-840c-1dc15b5aacd5\" data-spacefinder-role=\"supporting\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-a2pvoh\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-9ktzqp\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Kanzi with Christopher Krupenye, a cognitive scientist at Johns Hopkins University<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Scientists are still endeavouring to truly understand the cognitive potential of our fellow primates. Humans and apes diverged from a common ancestry between 6m and 9m years ago. But unlike <em>Homo sapiens, <\/em>which has surged to a population of 8 billion, the other seven great ape species are struggling to survive. The Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan, Tapanuli orangutan, eastern gorilla, western gorilla, chimpanzee and bonobo are all listed as endangered or critically endangered. Time may be running out to fully understand their inner worlds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cPart of the reason to study great apes is that they are our closest relatives, so we\u2019re learning something about ourselves,\u201d says Krupenye. \u201cBut we\u2019re working with these remarkable creatures with rich mental lives that have so much more going on under the surface than people give them credit for.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-rational-mind\" class=\"dcr-12ibh7f\">The rational mind<\/h2>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Greek philosopher Aristotle once defined humans as \u201cthe rational animal\u201d. People, he asserted, possessed a unique capacity for reason and deliberation that set them apart. \u201cBut what does it actually mean to be rational?\u201d asks Hanna Schleihauf, a comparative psychologist at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">One of the most significant advances in recent years is the finding that chimpanzees revise their beliefs as the strength of evidence changes. In a 2025 study of semi-captive chimpanzees at Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary in Uganda, Schleihauf and her colleagues presented a group of chimpanzees with evolving evidence about the location of a food reward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cIf you hold a certain belief for a certain reason, and then you learn that your reason is wrong, you should actually drop your belief that you had,\u201d Schleihauf says. \u201cAnd this is what we tried to do with the chimps.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"4eb9d193-5014-4902-8c5e-19d461d4cda1\" data-spacefinder-role=\"immersive\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-imskkt\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1tdqfl9\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Chimpanzees at Uganda\u2019s Ngamba Island sanctuary, who proved that they could rationally revise their beliefs. <\/span> Photograph: Hanna Schleihauf<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a series of trials, researchers presented the chimpanzees with two boxes facing away from the subject. They rattled one box, indicating food <em>might <\/em>be inside. At this point, the chimp chose which box it wanted. Then, the researchers turned the second box around so that the chimp could see something inside that resembled an apple.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The chimp then had the opportunity to choose again, based on this stronger evidence. In this case, if a chimp was being rational, it would change its mind \u201cbecause the first choice was based on weak evidence, and then you learn there is actually strong evidence on the other side,\u201d says Schleihauf.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">And the chimps did. Humans, it appears, are not the only rational ones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Much of the cognitive research carried out on great apes has used individuals living in a zoo or sanctuary. That, researchers say, offers a different perspective from assessing animals in the wild. Scientists are able to draw on years of data for a particular individual, designing specialised experiments.<\/p>\n<p><gu-island name=\"SelfHostedVideo\" priority=\"critical\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;atomId&quot;:&quot;d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046&quot;,&quot;fallbackImage&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0.0000000.jpg&quot;,&quot;fallbackImageAlt&quot;:&quot;Pasa the chimp, filmed by Hanna Schleihauf. Apes recognise social partners not seen for years&quot;,&quot;fallbackImageAspectRatio&quot;:&quot;16:9&quot;,&quot;fallbackImageLoading&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;,&quot;fallbackImageSize&quot;:&quot;small&quot;,&quot;aspectRatio&quot;:1.7777777777777777,&quot;linkTo&quot;:&quot;Article-embed-MediaAtomBlockElement&quot;,&quot;posterImage&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0.0000000.jpg&quot;,&quot;sources&quot;:[{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0_480w.mp4&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;video\/mp4&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:270,&quot;width&quot;:480,&quot;aspectRatio&quot;:&quot;16:9&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0_720h.mp4&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;video\/mp4&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;aspectRatio&quot;:&quot;16:9&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0.m3u8&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;application\/vnd.apple.mpegurl&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:0,&quot;width&quot;:0,&quot;aspectRatio&quot;:&quot;16:9&quot;}],&quot;subtitleSize&quot;:&quot;medium&quot;,&quot;subtitleSource&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0.vtt&quot;,&quot;videoStyle&quot;:&quot;Loop&quot;,&quot;uniqueId&quot;:&quot;d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Pasa the chimp, filmed by Hanna Schleihauf. Apes recognise social partners not seen for years&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:10,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;isMainMedia&quot;:false,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;immersive&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"video-container loop element-video-immersive\" data-component=\"gu-video-loop\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1h8tp0x\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1bm3fpl\"><video id=\"video-d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\" tabindex=\"0\" data-testid=\"self-hosted-video-player\" data-link-name=\"gu-video-loop-pause-d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" preload=\"none\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" playsinline=\"\" class=\"dcr-y4oheo\"><track kind=\"subtitles\" src=\"https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0.vtt\" srclang=\"en\"\/><picture data-size=\"small\" class=\"dcr-zigv41\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0.0000000.jpg?width=220&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=16%3A9\" media=\"(min-width: 980px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 980px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0.0000000.jpg?width=220&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=16%3A9\" media=\"(min-width: 980px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0.0000000.jpg?width=160&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=16%3A9\" media=\"(min-width: 740px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 740px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0.0000000.jpg?width=160&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=16%3A9\" media=\"(min-width: 740px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09\/Innocent_the_chimpanzee_filmed_by_Hanna_Schleihauf--d3098729-2731-4edc-b13c-b211f062b046-1.0.0000000.jpg?width=120&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=16%3A9\" media=\"(min-width: 320px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 320px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776935231_686_Bonobos-enjoy-pretend-tea-parties-and-chimps-think-rationally-why.jpg\" media=\"(min-width: 320px)\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Pasa the chimp, filmed by Hanna Schleihauf. Apes recognise social partners not seen for years\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776935231_686_Bonobos-enjoy-pretend-tea-parties-and-chimps-think-rationally-why.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" class=\"dcr-l300o4\"\/><\/picture><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1alawo7\"><svg width=\"36\" height=\"23\" viewbox=\"0 0 36 23\"><path d=\"M3.2 0l-3.2 3.3v16.4l3.3 3.3h18.7v-23h-18.8m30.4 1l-8.6 8v5l8.6 8h2.4v-21h-2.4\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Pasa the chimp, filmed by Hanna Schleihauf. Apes recognise social partners not seen for years<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Recently, Krupenye, also a co-author on the Kanzi imagination study, tested the long-term memory of zoo-housed chimpanzees and bonobos \u2013 a feat only possible because of the documented history of past social partners.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Researchers held up an image of a former groupmate alongside an image of a stranger. \u201cIf they didn\u2019t recognise them, you would think that they would just scan these two pictures equally,\u201d Krupenye explains. But the chimps and bonobos spent more time looking at their former social partner, based on non-invasive eye tracking.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThe farthest back we could get to was one bonobo who hadn\u2019t seen two individuals for 26 years,\u201d he says. \u201c[The bonobo] showed this really strong and pronounced looking bias across all of the trials that really makes us think it was able to recognise those individuals, even a quarter of a century later.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"cultural-diversity\" class=\"dcr-12ibh7f\">Cultural diversity<\/h2>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Yet to truly understand the full range of great ape intelligence, we must look to the wild. \u201cIn the end, where we really see how their brains function is when they are in their natural environment. Not interacting with human researchers, but with each other,\u201d says Schleihauf.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the canopy of Indonesia\u2019s Gunung Leuser national park, primatologists recorded a startling observation in June 2022. An adult male Sumatran orangutan in the Suaq Balimbing research area, known as Rakus, was chewing the leaves and stems of a liana vine into a pasty mash, then applying it with his fingers to a deep wound he had sustained on his facial flange.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The liana vine, <em>akar kuning (Fibraurea tinctoria<\/em>)<em>, <\/em>is known locally for its antibacterial and pain-killing properties. Rakus\u2019s wound soon closed over and healed completely a few weeks later.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"ae633c63-f399-470e-b8fb-9cec335f60c7\" data-spacefinder-role=\"showcase\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-5h0uf4\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-9ktzqp\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Rakus, a Sumatran orangutan, with a facial wound and after applying chewed-up herbs to it. It was the first time a wild animal was seen using a plant with medicinal properties to treat an injury. <\/span> Photograph: Suaq Project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cBefore this, there were no reports of active wound healing in animals with a plant,\u201d says the study lead, Isabelle Laumer, a cognitive biologist and primatologist with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour in Germany.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Laumer has recently assessed playful teasing in four great ape species, and compared the exploratory behaviour of zoo-housed and wild orangutans, finding the former were more likely to explore objects. That makes sense, she says, because \u201cin the wild, an orangutan has to hold on to a tree with at least one arm or one foot, because otherwise they will fall. But, in a zoo, they are on the ground and they have all their arms. It\u2019s much easier for them to manipulate things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The differences between zoo-housed and wild apes can be vast. But so can traits between wild communities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The work of Kristin Andrews, a professor of philosophy at the City University of New York, focuses on social cognition and animal minds. Like humans, she says, chimpanzees have their own unique cultures that differ between groups. In one community, for example, \u201cchimpanzees would bite a little leaf, and it means play. But in another community, they bite on a leaf, and it means they\u2019ll have sex.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"dfd7decb-2e1f-4482-a9d0-8b359c6d380e\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Best friends Pasa and Yoyo at Ngamba Island sanctuary. Some philosophers and scientists now consider distinct groups of great apes as having their own cultures, like humans.  <\/span> Photograph: Innocent Ampeire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Similarly, chimpanzees in one community might use a wooden hammer whereas another group will use stone hammers. \u201cIt\u2019s important to know the difference if a chimpanzee is travelling between these two communities. They have to learn the meaning of the same signal,\u201d she says, in much the same way as human immigrants have to adapt to new countries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Such cultural variations have serious consequences for conservation strategies of the threatened apes. \u201cConservation matters to chimpanzees themselves, as well as to us, because of these cultural differences,\u201d Andrews says.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"587ab6b5-2c8d-4717-ad11-4079a6737f61\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\"><gu-island name=\"RichLinkComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;richLinkIndex&quot;:43,&quot;element&quot;:{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Butterflies crossing oceans, moths navigating by the stars: unravelling the mysteries of insect migrations&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;587ab6b5-2c8d-4717-ad11-4079a6737f61&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;richLink&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/ng-interactive\/2026\/mar\/18\/butterflies-crossing-oceans-moths-navigating-stars-insect-migrations-aoe&quot;},&quot;ajaxUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:10,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0}}\"\/><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a paper published in February in the journal Learning and Behavior, Andrews raises the question of whether protecting animal cultural diversity should become a new conservation goal, alongside simply conserving biodiversity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cShould culture be an important consideration in prioritising populations for conservation? Should we be designating animal \u2018cultural heritage sites\u2019 for special protection?\u201d she asks in the paper.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Conservation often focuses on the absolute number of a species, seeking to prevent extinction. But Andrews\u2019 work suggests that even if a species is saved, unique cultures can still be lost forever if a particular group of chimpanzees is wiped out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cIf we preserve chimpanzee DNA somewhere, but that organism that gets created from that DNA doesn\u2019t know anything about being a chimpanzee, that\u2019s not a chimpanzee. That\u2019s something else,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><em>Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow the biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield in the Guardian app for more nature coverage<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n#Bonobos #enjoy #pretend #tea #parties #chimps #rationally #apes #thought #Endangered #species<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Clear plastic cups and pitchers adorned the wooden table in Des Moines, Iowa. Invisible juice was poured and presented to&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56996","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mzansi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56996"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56996\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56997,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56996\/revisions\/56997"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}