Kanzi star pupil
What is Great Ape Trust?
Great Ape Trust, is a scientific research facility in Des Moines, Iowa, dedicated to understanding the origins and future of culture, language, tools and intelligence, and to the preservation of endangered great apes in their natural habitats. Announced in 2002 and receiving its first ape residents in 2004, Great Ape Trust is home to a colony of six bonobos and six orangutans involved in noninvasive interdisciplinary studies of their cognitive and communicative capabilities. Great Ape Trust is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Matata is Kanzi's Mom
Where is The Trust located?
Great Ape Trust is located on the site of a former sand quarry and is approximately five miles southeast of downtown Des Moines. The Trust is adjacent and south of the Des Moines River, north of Army Post Road, west of the Highway 65/69 beltway and east of Easter Lake. The bonobo and orangutan homes are on a 230-acre campus that includes woodlands, wetland and a 30-acre lake. Great Ape Trust received a generous land transfer from the City of Des Moines and Mid-American Energy.
Great Ape Trust founder Ted Townsend is a native Iowan who was captivated by the groundbreaking language research being conducted with bonobos at the Language Research Center at Georgia State University. Townsend envisioned a unique facility in Des Moines dedicated to studying and preserving great apes with local, national, and global influence.
How do the apes cope with Iowa’s weather?
There are a number of excellent great ape facilities located in climates that have four distinct seasons and Great Ape Trust clearly falls into that category. In addition to expansive, naturalistic outdoor areas, Great Ape Trust has designed spacious indoor facilities that maintain warmth in the winter months and remain cool in the summer months to accommodate the needs and comfort of our great ape residents.
Elikya
Can the public visit Great Ape Trust?
Great Ape Trust is a scientific research facility not a public attraction. In the past, we accommodated 1,500 – 2,000 visitors a year. We expect to accommodate similar number of guests in the years to come. However, as we move forward we will include fewer members of the general public and more students, scholars and scientific colleagues. It should also be noted that potential funding agencies that might support our scientific studies discourage public visitation at research institutions.
Does The Trust have employment, volunteer and internship opportunities?
As a scientific research facility studying ape language, there are very limited employment, and even fewer, volunteer opportunities. The research and ape caretaking responsibilities are quite specific and most often require years of prior experience.
Maisha is a young male.
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