Kanzi, a bonobo known for his remarkable intelligence, has changed how we think about imagination in animals. Born in 1980, Kanzi could communicate using symbols and had a good grasp of English. He passed away in 2025, leaving behind a legacy that challenges the belief that only humans can pretend or imagine.
Research from Johns Hopkins University suggests that great apes, including Kanzi, might share a form of imagination with us. Chris Krupenye, a cognitive scientist and co-author of the study published in Science, explained that this ability could trace back to a common ancestor we share with great apes, dating back 6 to 9 million years. “It shows that the roots of imagination are deeper than we thought,” Krupenye said.
In their study, the researchers used tea parties to test Kanzi’s cognitive skills, mirroring developmental psychology tests done with children in the 1980s. They pretended to pour juice into cups and then asked Kanzi where the juice was, without actually placing any in. Remarkably, Kanzi identified the correct cup about 70% of the time.
Kanzi’s ability to play pretend was unusual for an ape. Most apes don’t typically engage in behaviors like pointing as humans do. When Krupenye and his co-author, Amalia Bastos, asked Kanzi questions, he responded intelligently, displaying a cognitive skill that suggests a level of understanding previously recognized only in humans.
Kristin Andrews, a philosophy professor at City University of New York, emphasized that Kanzi’s ability to imagine and pretend indicates a complex mental life. “This kind of pretense allows them to consider different scenarios before making choices,” she explained. While it’s hard to determine if wild apes engage in similar behavior, this study provides compelling evidence that they possess the cognitive capacity for it.
Imagination is not just a human trait. Kanzi has opened a window into the minds of great apes, inviting us to rethink the mental abilities of animals. In a time where animal intelligence is continuously being explored, Kanzi reminds us of the rich inner worlds that may exist beyond our own.
For more about animal cognition and the fascinating behaviors of apes, you can check out the study in Science here and view some insights on great apes here.
