Washoe and the family teach Loulis to use sign language

[sdorfman58]

Where is Cesar? I WANT CESAR

[notrickroll]

now teach em british sign language :P

[xtinerox8745]

is it necessary to keep them locked up liek that?

[PhD4NonhumanPrimates]

@xtinerox8745 Their living conditions are really great now - the video footage in this clip is fairly old. We do, however, try to keep at least 2 locks between us and them wherever possible. They are incredible lock-picks (they have a lot of time to experiment), and so we really focus on our safety and theirs, because even if just happy and wanting to hug you, they could easily crush your spine.

[scottylans]

This is amazing and incredible Such fantastic work - I agree, teach them sign and release into the wild, that would be incredible.

Also, I can't help but add a Peter loves Amy reference ,......

[Beenyad]

Teach apes sign language, release them into the wild. Watch civilization unfold.

[DefeezyweeZzZy]

brought here from reading carl sagan's "dragons of eden"

[PhatLouie06]

I've recently read Next of Kin for the primate class taught by Professor Lorraine McNeil at Fanshawe, and it was SUCH an amazing read. I have been obsessed with spreading the lessons of Washoe and her family.

[heavenspaw]

Fascinating stuff, this is. I would love a career working with chimpanzees. I simply wouldn't want to have one living with me for obvious reasons... lol

[Navlek79]

yes. the more we learn about chimps..... the more we learn about ourselves.... and ots of other things. although i'm not a chimp i do appreciate your work

[Navlek79]

i love the work here. i'm still not in to the philosophical side to this ameslan taught to apes.(the philosophers and theologians) i recall carl sagan commenting about washoe on a book. but the technical side of the research is really awesome. They are still apes.

[PhD4NonhumanPrimates]

@Navlek79 Yes! : ) They are apes just as we are, and they are wonderful in their own right! No one wants to "make a chimpanzee" into a human, but rather find out how special they really are, and then we may better look into our own mirror and discover things about ourselves that we never knew.

[r0g3r]

@Navlek79 You are still and ape, and I don't mean that as an insult, more of a compliment.

[Navlek79]

wow. 1979 i wasn't even born yet. so how old is Loulis? i thought washoe has already gone . are people still studying Loulis?

[PhD4NonhumanPrimates]

@Navlek79 Loulis is alive and well! Yes, sadly we lost Washoe on October 30, 2007, but her legacy lives on through Loulis and the wonderful work at the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute.

[salvolondon]

@PhD4NonhumanPrimates what did she die of?

[Navlek79]

perhaps... non human primate ameslan would evolve? or like have a souhthern accent or english accent or something? transcended from mama chimp to baby chimp

[PhD4NonhumanPrimates]

@Navlek79 In fact, that is exactly the case ... Washoe had developed a few signs of her own and chose to use those around Loulis, instead of those used by the human researchers and caretakers, and so Loulis does have what you might call an "accent".

[Bidone1967]

Nice to see like the son learn the sign language from Washoe.