A bonobo’s imaginary tea party suggests apes can play pretend

Kanzi identified make-believe juice and grapes

Kenzi the bonobo being groomed by anohter bonobo

Kanzi, a bonobo who could communicate with word-linked symbols, is groomed by another bonobo named Nyota.

Photo courtesy of Ape Initiative

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Humans may not be the only primates with the power to imagine.