Meet Kanzi, the Minecraft gamer monkey

There’s a new gamer building their career block by block: Kanzi, the Minecraft-playing bonobo. Believe it or not, this 42-year-old bonobo can play the world-famous sandbox game himself. YouTuber Christopher “ChrisDaCow” Slayton says its abilities are no monkey business. “Kanzi lived up to every piece of media and story I had heard about him,” Slayton stated.

A chimp playing a relatively complicated video game like Minecraft is cute and endearing. However, Kanzi isn’t merely playing for fun; he’s laying virtual blocks to build a future for his fellow primates. His conservatory, the Ape Initiative, hopes Kanzi’s lovable antics can help renovate a learning center teaching about endangered species.

This article will discuss how Kanzi went from swinging on trees to building on Minecraft. Later, I will explain how this lovable chimp could pave a future for his endangered species.

How did Kanzi’s gamer journey begin?

Photo Credit: essentiallysports.com

Medium shared an overview of Kanzi’s gaming journey. His story began at the Ape Initiative in Des Moines, Iowa, where he met content creator ChrisDaCow.

Christopher Slayton first saw this unique bonobo in an online video where he communicated via touchscreens. He visited the ape to create a fun and exciting video about him.

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Slayton contacted the Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative to request shooting a Minecraft video with Kanzi. Fortunately, the animal protection organization agreed.

Ape Initiative research coordinator Amanda Epping thought a YouTube video was ideal for connecting with younger audiences. “We had been getting some feedback that in order to engage the younger audience, you need to find a way to connect with them,” she explained.

Epping invited ChrisDaCow to teach Kanzi how to play Minecraft in two sessions a month apart in 2023. Consequently, the savvy monkey wowed the content creator.

How did the bonobo learn how to play?

“Kanzi lived up to every piece of media and story I had heard about him,” Slayton stated. The gaming trainer started by teaching the bonobo how to navigate the game and perform simple tasks.

ChrisDaCow gave the primate some examples, and he started playing by himself quickly. Also, the content creator built an open world to facilitate Kanzi’s training.

He made the targets larger than usual to help the ape tap them easier. Also, ChrisDaCow gave him peanuts for motivation. However, Kanzi got too excited and broke one of the touch screens.

His human trainers fixed his equipment and reinstalled the game quickly. “His ability to learn new skills within minutes of us showing him was truly incredible. He could understand what needed to be done in Minecraft within just a few attempts of the task.”

Kanzi’s second session was more exciting when he played Minecraft without guidance. He even played against a human player who did not know he’s been playing against a monkey!

The chimp played against a popular British YouTuber, Thomas “TommyInnit” Simons. Thomas felt shocked to learn he was the first human to play with a monkey on Minecraft.

ChrisDaCow’s Kanzi video had 2.8 million views at the time of writing. Moreover, he added a fundraising link for the Ape Cognition and Communication Institute, which reached its $10,000 goal.

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Slayton launched another fundraising campaign, which had $8,887.00 at the time of writing. Also, the video encourages people to learn more about Kanzi’s endangered species.

More importantly, his gaming antics could fund renovations for a learning center where students expand their understanding of the endangered bonobos. Believe it or not, Kanzi enjoys playing Minecraft.

Epping explained the game stretches the monkey’s brain muscles. “It’s fun for him; it’s mentally stimulating,” she said. In other words, Kanzi the Bonobo is a bona fide gamer!

Conclusion

Kanzi is a monkey that can play Minecraft, delighting online viewers and content creators worldwide. His story reveals how video games have become a force for good.

This bonobo could save his species by spreading awareness about them by stacking virtual blocks. Moreover, esports is bringing countries together, similar to The Olympics.

For example, the Valorant Champions Tour promotes gamers from the Philippines and other Asian nations. Learn more about the latest digital tips and trends at Inquirer Tech.