10/08/2026
October is the Month of Kanzi 💛
Last year, hundreds of you joined us from around the world to share memories and honor Kanzi during his Celebration of Life. Your collective reflection showed just how deeply Kanzi touched human hearts and expanded our understanding of the natural world.
This year, we are continuing that remembrance throughout October, which we are officially declaring as the Month of Kanzi!
Kanzi was extraordinary in ways that the world will continue to discover for generations. Born in 1980, Kanzi revolutionized how we understand language, cognition, and what it means to be human, by opening a window into the bonobo mind as well as our own. He was more than a scientific icon; Kanzi was a problem-solver, a toolmaker, and a friend who taught us that empathy, curiosity, and sentience are not uniquely human traits.
All month long, we will celebrate Kanzi’s legacy:
Looking Back: We will share archival footage, iconic moments, and personal reflections from the staff and scientists who worked with Kanzi.
Carrying the Torch: We will highlight how Kanzi’s legacy lives on every day through his bonobo family: Elikya, Nyota, Maisha, Mali, Clara, and Teco.
Honoring His Memory: We will share ways for our community to stay involved and help protect the future
Kanzi helped make possible.
Kanzi invited us all to rethink our place in the natural world 🌍
Thank you for remembering Kanzi with us and for continuing to stand alongside his bonobo family!
