Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative

The Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative (ACCI) is a 501C3 non-profit organization that was formed in 2013. ACCI is the only education and research facility in North America that studies language and cognition in bonobos. Bonobos are critically endangered great apes that are closely related to humans. ACCI is the only place in the world where humans can share the English language with members of another species. Our scientific program aims to enrich the lives of our bonobos and increase our understanding of them in order to improve human health and gain a better understanding of our place in the natural world. Our scientifically-grounded conservation education program is geared towards students of all ages and is designed to educate the public about the critically endangered status of bonobos and what we as humans can do to help conserve the species. Our civic engagement efforts are designed to promote scientific literacy, conservation education, and environmental stewar...