Lucy, a young bonobo at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, pauses in a day of play to inspect her foot. The contemplative gesture makes me wonder about the inner mind of the species. It is widely accepted that bonobos, as all apes, are very intelligent. They are capable of understanding words, can converse in sign language or symbols, and can solve complex puzzles. Thought is an enigma however, since it is impossible to get inside the head of a bonobo to see what (or if) they think.
Place a dot on the forehead of a bonobo and have her look into a mirror. She will reach up to touch the dot on her head. This "MSR" or mirror self-recognition test leads scientists to say that bonobos have self-recognition. Most other apes, elephants, and dolphins also pass the MSR test. Critics of the test claim that it is an evolutionary advantage to distinguish "self" from "non-self" and this in itself is not a test for self-directed behavior. They say that the mirror is an artificial and misleading tool that is used to see parts of the body not normally viewed.
As a zookeeper, I have looked into the eyes of my bonobo charges, and felt a presence there -- a presence so human-like in expression that it was eerie. Now, back to the question: Do bonobos think? Do bonobos know that they are alive, with a yesterday, today, and tomorrow? Do they have beliefs? Do they have a soul? It seems an irony that it is easier to explore the vastness of outer space, than it is to know the mind of an ape.
Photo by M. Brickner
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