This is a direct copy of an article by Paul Raffaele for Smithsonian magazine, written in 2006.
To better understand bonobo intelligence, I traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, to meet Kanzi, a 26-year-old male bonobo reputedly able to converse with humans. When Kanzi was an infant, American psychologist Sue Savage-Rumbaugh tried to teach his mother, Matata, to communicate using a keyboard labeled with geometric symbols. Matata never really got the hang of it, but Kanzi—who usually played in the background, seemingly oblivious, during his mother’s teaching sessions—picked up the language.
Savage-Rumbaugh and her colleagues kept adding symbols to Kanzi’s keyboard and laminated sheets of paper. First Kanzi used 6 symbols, then 18, finally 348. The symbols refer to familiar objects (yogurt, key, tummy, bowl), favored activities (chase, tickle), and even some concepts considered fairly abstract (now, bad).
Kanzi learned to combine these symbols in regular ways, or in what linguists call"proto-grammar."Once, Savage-Rumbaugh says, on an outing in a forest by the Georgia State University laboratory where he was raised, Kanzi touched the symbols for"marshmallow"and"fire."Given matches and marshmallows, Kanzi snapped twigs for a fire, lit them with the matches and toasted the marshmallows on a stick.
Savage-Rumbaugh claims that in addition to the symbols Kanzi uses, he knows the meaning of up to 3,000 spoken English words. She tests his comprehension in part by having someone in another room pronounce words that Kanzi hears through a set of headphones. Kanzi then points to the appropriate symbol on his keyboard. But Savage-Rumbaugh says Kanzi also understands words that aren’t a part of his keyboard vocabulary; she says he can respond appropriately to commands such as"put the soap in the water"or"carry the TV outdoors."
About a year ago, Kanzi and his sister, mother, nephew and four other bonobos moved into a $10 million, 18-room house and laboratory complex at the Great Ape Trust, North America’s largest great ape sanctuary, five miles from downtown Des Moines. The bonobo compound boasts a 13,000-square-foot lab, drinking fountains, outdoor playgrounds, rooms linked by hydraulic doors that the animals operate themselves by pushing buttons, and a kitchen where they can use a microwave oven and get snacks from a vending machine (pressing the symbols for desired foods).
Kanzi and the other bonobos spend evenings sprawled on the floor, snacking on M & M’s, blueberries, onions and celery, as they watch DVDs they select by pressing buttons on a computer screen. Their favorites star apes and other creatures friendly with humans such as Quest for Fire, Every Which Way But Loose, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan and Babe.
Through a glass panel, Savage-Rumbaugh asks Kanzi if it’s OK for me to enter his enclosure."The bonobos control who comes into their quarters,"she explains. Kanzi, still the alpha male of this group in his middle age, has the mien of an aging patriarch—he’s balding and paunchy with serious, deep-set eyes. Squealing apparent agreement, he pushes a button, and I walk inside. A wire barrier still separates us."Kanzi can cause you serious damage if he wants,"Savage-Rumbaugh adds.
Kanzi shows me his electronic lexigram touch pad, which is connected to a computer that displays—while a male voice speaks—the words he selects. But Kanzi’s finger slips off the keys."We're trying to solve this problem,"says Savage-Rumbaugh.
She and her colleagues have been testing the bonobos’ ability to express their thoughts vocally, rather than by pushing buttons. In one experiment she described to me, she placed Kanzi and Panbanisha, his sister, in separate rooms where they could hear but not see each other. Through lexigrams, Savage-Rumbaugh explained to Kanzi that he would be given yogurt. He was then asked to communicate this information to Panbanisha."Kanzi vocalized, then Panbanisha vocalized in return and selected ‘yogurt’ on the keyboard in front of her,"Savage-Rumbaugh tells me.
With these and other ape-language experiments, says Savage-Rumbaugh,"the mythology of human uniqueness is coming under challenge. If apes can learn language, which we once thought unique to humans, then it suggests that ability is not innate in just us."
But many linguists argue that these bonobos are simply very skilled at getting what they want, and that their abilities do not constitute language."I do not believe that there has ever been an example anywhere of a nonhuman expressing an opinion, or asking a question. Not ever,"says Geoffrey Pullum, a linguist at the University of California at Santa Cruz."It would be wonderful if animals could say things about the world, as opposed to just signaling a direct emotional state or need. But they just don’t.”
Whatever the dimension of Kanzi’s abilities, he and I did manage to communicate. I’d told Savage-Rumbaugh about some of my adventures, and she invited me to perform a Maori war dance. I beat my chest, slapped my thighs and hollered. The bonobos sat quiet and motionless for a few seconds, then all but Kanzi snapped into a frenzy, the noise deafening as they screamed, bared their teeth and pounded on the walls and floor of their enclosure. Still calm, Kanzi waved an arm at Savage-Rumbaugh, as if asking her to come closer, then let loose with a stream of squeaks and squeals."Kanzi says he knows you're not threatening them," Savage-Rumbaugh said to me," and he'd like you to do it again just for him, in a room out back, so the others won't get upset.”
I’m skeptical, but I follow the researcher through the complex, out of Kanzi's sight. I find him, all alone, standing behind protective bars. Seeing me, he slapped his chest and thighs, mimicking my war dance, as if inviting me to perform an encore. I obliged, of course, and Kanzi joined in with gusto.
Here's a video of Kanzi at the Great Ape Trust, in Iowa, where he lives.
Tomorrow, critics of Kanzi's "learning".
Google themselves don't seem to have posted them yet, but for those of you who haven't noticed, this week has had various Sesame Street characters incorporated into the Google logo to celebrate the Street's 40th anniversary. You can see them here.
Don't worry, this doesn't replace another fascinating NaBloPoMoBoNoBos post. Stay tuned.
- Bonobos are humankind's closest relatives, along with chimpanzees, yet most people don't even know that bonobos exist.
- They live in only one country: Democratic Republic of Congo
- Bonobos were the last great ape species to be discovered and could be the first to go extinct.
- Bonobos walk bipedally, on two feet, more easily and for longer periods of time than the other apes.
- They are highly intelligent. Some bonobos in captivity have even learned to use human language.
- Bonobos live to 50 to 55 years of age.
Our digital camera is pretty crappy actually but I tried to make do with what I got by messing around with the basic of most basic elements color adjustment & brightness & contrasting. Which mostly just consisted of me sliding the slider bar back and forth until it gave a result that looked interesting to me. Yeah, skills, I have none. LOL
Here are the results.
Here she is, playing the part of Gothic Tween Red Riding Hood, Miss Gabrielle. I wish I could've done the picture in my head justice. I loved the idea of her posing pensively near that red tree. The middle one is my favorite of of Gabby.
And playing the part of the plundering pirate, Benjamin. ARRRR!
I had to gently remind him that we do not stab the neighbor's boo globe. LOL
Yeah, she's all that! :-D
This one is my favorite of Ben.
Gosh darn it she's just so freaking beautiful! Yeah I know, I'm not exactly impartial but hey...
To Grandmother's House!
The Driveways Are Alive With The Sound of Pirates!
Some attempts at "artistic" photos. LOL
I promised my sister a post on the bonobos, so here you go, Sissy.
The bonobo is a great ape (not to be confused with a great grape ape), found only in the Democratic Republic of Congo (wave to my foster child), with many interesting habits and features. They have pink lips, parted hair, and have lots and lots of sex. Oh, and they can be cannibalistic.
After this short lesson on one of man's closest relatives, why do you think there is also a brand of men's pants named Bonobos? Apparently they're all about making a better-fitting men's pant. If you're showing a bulge or sag, chances are you are wearing inferior pants. You probably don't part your hair or have the urge to eat human flesh, either, but that's a story for another day.
In the interest of not badmouthing a company I know nothing about, I should point out that the founders have an interest in the animal bonobo and therefore named their company the same. They raise funds to help out this endangered ape.
I still think there's some weird Freudian connection...
I'm having another one of those years where I see tons of cool/fun/interesting stuff that I want to buy for people for Christmas, or just because. My sister and I have already bought a Wii and WiiFit as a joint gift from both of us to my mother and aunt, but of course I see ideas for my mother. Oh, and she actually OFFERED an idea this year. Hmmm, too bad there, Mom. I like buying things just for the heck of it without necessarily making a habit of it - I don't think that's mean, but I suppose people might take it that way, or be offended. But you know how it goes - you gift someone and then they feel like they need to reciprocate then or in the future. I really wish people didn't feel that way. Anyway, the way my thoughts are going, I'll be buying a lot of stuff this year! That's fine because it's fun. Now, a lot of what I'm seeing is online, so it's still possible that I'll run into some horrid shipping costs, which will, of course, cut down on what I buy and give. I think I'll start ordering some stuff this weekend. I had one item bookmarked for someone, but luckily (I think), it sold. I'll probably still keep an eye on the store for another one to show up. It would be a really funny thing to give, but I'm not sure if it's worth the money the seller charged for that type of present. I mean it's not a gag gift, but it's not exactly useful, either, except as eye candy and conversation fodder. Oh well. If it shows up again and I buy it, I'll post it for you to see.
And speaking of gifty things, I can't believe I'm so lazy as to still have a few things to send out from the time of this year's Squee. I'll probably end up sending everything at the same time as I do my Christmas mailing since I won't really have time before that. My exam is December 3rd, so I really don't have time for much of anything before then. I really need a car. I think the time is drawing near for that, but again, too much else going on to take care of first. It's a vicious circle.
Yeah, so I'm going to shut up now. You can thank me later. Or now. Thank me now if you really want to.
Hai, all!
Sunday and Monday in Cleveland was awesome. I got to see Ashlee's new old house. They have painted several rooms already. It's pretty exciting project! It's perfect for them to start out in!
We went for a walk in the huge metropark along the Rocky River, did lots of eating and shopping. It was really fun.
Today I went for my first physical therapy appointment and all is looking really good! I can do whatever I want with my foot now! Watch out!!! I have to pick up marbles with my toes and put them in a dish. I'll be the Amazing FingerToe.
Now, of course, the house is such a shambles I will be too intimidated to start cleaning or organizing anywhere. I mean...100 years from now, who will care?
Meh. I guess I will start out by eating some supper and then seeing if I can get motivated to do anything. I was gone all day. Why start now?
I hope you are all well!
Check out Harley in the World's Coolest Dog & Cat Show, by Dogster and Catster.
Day Two brought to you by panic-attack-reducing KITTENS!
It's NaBloPoMo time again. I forgot to sign up until just now. I hope that isn't a bad omen for the month. I've been such a bad poster the past few months that it's going to be difficult enough without jinxing myself. I'm disappointed that the badge isn't very exciting this year, but I guess I can handle that, too. So, here is my first post for the month, as boring as it is. I really need to get some studying done, but maybe I can come up with something interesting for later on. Anyone else taking part this year?
Neighborhood
Explore friends, family, friends & family, or entire neighborhood.
