Booee," Roger signed back. Remembering that Fouts always carried treats, Booee
asked for them, even using an old nickname that he had invented for Roger—a flick of
his ear with his finger. He and Fouts spent the next several minutes playing games of
"chase" and "tickle" like they used to do all those years ago.
As Fouts had hoped, viewers were touched by the joyful reunion, and they were
heartbroken when they watched Booee move dejectedly to the back of his cage when
the time came to say goodbye. Because of the subsequent outcry, Booee was sent to a
sanctuary months later, where he still lives.
Unfortunately, more than 1,000 other chimpanzees remain caged, lonely and
miserable in laboratories, despite overwhelming evidence that they are highly
intelligent, sensitive animals. They are injected with drugs, infected with diseases that
they would never normally contract and subjected to traumatic psychological
experiments. When they're not strapped to a table, they languish in cages—often in
windowless rooms—that bear no resemblance to their natural forest and jungle
homes. Their spirits are broken from years of needles, scalpels, toxins, pain, solitude,
fear and the overwhelming nothingness of waking up, day after day, in a cold metal box.
The U.K., Japan, Austria, New Zealand and the Netherlands have prohibited the use of
great apes for invasive research and testing. The U.S. is the only country in the world
that continues large-scale use of chimpanzees in experiments. That may change if The
Great Ape Protection Act—a bill that would phase out the use of chimpanzees in
invasive research and retire federally owned chimpanzees to sanctuaries—ever
becomes law.
If chimpanzees could talk, they would almost certainly
say, "Let me out," as one of Booee's fellow inmates
signed. Yes, it's time to let them out. They are not test
tubes with fur. They have thoughts, feelings and desires.
It's time to let them be chimpanzees.
asked for them, even using an old nickname that he had invented for Roger—a flick of
his ear with his finger. He and Fouts spent the next several minutes playing games of
"chase" and "tickle" like they used to do all those years ago.
As Fouts had hoped, viewers were touched by the joyful reunion, and they were
heartbroken when they watched Booee move dejectedly to the back of his cage when
the time came to say goodbye. Because of the subsequent outcry, Booee was sent to a
sanctuary months later, where he still lives.
Unfortunately, more than 1,000 other chimpanzees remain caged, lonely and
miserable in laboratories, despite overwhelming evidence that they are highly
intelligent, sensitive animals. They are injected with drugs, infected with diseases that
they would never normally contract and subjected to traumatic psychological
experiments. When they're not strapped to a table, they languish in cages—often in
windowless rooms—that bear no resemblance to their natural forest and jungle
homes. Their spirits are broken from years of needles, scalpels, toxins, pain, solitude,
fear and the overwhelming nothingness of waking up, day after day, in a cold metal box.
The U.K., Japan, Austria, New Zealand and the Netherlands have prohibited the use of
great apes for invasive research and testing. The U.S. is the only country in the world
that continues large-scale use of chimpanzees in experiments. That may change if The
Great Ape Protection Act—a bill that would phase out the use of chimpanzees in
invasive research and retire federally owned chimpanzees to sanctuaries—ever
becomes law.
If chimpanzees could talk, they would almost certainly
say, "Let me out," as one of Booee's fellow inmates
signed. Yes, it's time to let them out. They are not test
tubes with fur. They have thoughts, feelings and desires.
It's time to let them be chimpanzees.
| . |
www.ambiente.us JANUARY | ENERO 2010
If chimpanzees could talk, what would they say?
By Kathy Guillermo
According to a recent study published in the journal Nature, scientists have discovered
that a gene called FOXP2, which is believed to be responsible for the evolution of
speech in humans, behaves differently in humans than it does in chimpanzees, our
closest living relatives. The gene produces a protein in humans that differs by just two
amino acids from chimpanzees' FOXP2 protein. Think about it—if not for those two
amino acids, chimpanzees might be able to talk. If they could speak, what would they
say?
Actually, we already know what they would say, thanks to the work of people such as
Roger Fouts, a professor at Central Washington University who is famous for teaching
chimpanzees American Sign Language (ASL). Fouts' most famous pupil is Washoe,
who was the first nonhuman animal to learn ASL and who, in turn, taught it to her
adopted son, Loulis. Washoe spontaneously combined words to describe her
experiences and desires, using expressions such as "you me hide" and "listen dog."
She also invented names for her possessions, referring to her doll, for instance, as
"Baby Mine." She was even known to fib and tell jokes.
Perhaps Fouts' second most famous pupil is Booee, a chimpanzee who was taught
ASL while he was "on loan" to Fouts.
More than a decade later—after Booee had
been reclaimed and sent to a laboratory
where he was subjected to hepatitis
experiments—the TV show 20/20
approached Fouts about reuniting with
If chimpanzees could talk, what would they say?
By Kathy Guillermo
According to a recent study published in the journal Nature, scientists have discovered
that a gene called FOXP2, which is believed to be responsible for the evolution of
speech in humans, behaves differently in humans than it does in chimpanzees, our
closest living relatives. The gene produces a protein in humans that differs by just two
amino acids from chimpanzees' FOXP2 protein. Think about it—if not for those two
amino acids, chimpanzees might be able to talk. If they could speak, what would they
say?
Actually, we already know what they would say, thanks to the work of people such as
Roger Fouts, a professor at Central Washington University who is famous for teaching
chimpanzees American Sign Language (ASL). Fouts' most famous pupil is Washoe,
who was the first nonhuman animal to learn ASL and who, in turn, taught it to her
adopted son, Loulis. Washoe spontaneously combined words to describe her
experiences and desires, using expressions such as "you me hide" and "listen dog."
She also invented names for her possessions, referring to her doll, for instance, as
"Baby Mine." She was even known to fib and tell jokes.
Perhaps Fouts' second most famous pupil is Booee, a chimpanzee who was taught
ASL while he was "on loan" to Fouts.
More than a decade later—after Booee had
been reclaimed and sent to a laboratory
where he was subjected to hepatitis
experiments—the TV show 20/20
approached Fouts about reuniting with
| . |
| . |
Booee on camera.
Although worried by the
prospect of upsetting
Booee, Fouts agreed in
the hope that the
reunion, which would be
watched by millions of
people, could potentially
help Booee and other
chimpanzees in
laboratories.
I will never forget the
footage of Roger
entering the laboratory
and signing, "Hi, Booee.
You remember?" Booee,
who had been sitting
despondently in his
small cage a moment
earlier, jumped up and
down in excitement,
signing his name,
"Booee, Booee, Booee,"
over and over again.
"Yes, you
Although worried by the
prospect of upsetting
Booee, Fouts agreed in
the hope that the
reunion, which would be
watched by millions of
people, could potentially
help Booee and other
chimpanzees in
laboratories.
I will never forget the
footage of Roger
entering the laboratory
and signing, "Hi, Booee.
You remember?" Booee,
who had been sitting
despondently in his
small cage a moment
earlier, jumped up and
down in excitement,
signing his name,
"Booee, Booee, Booee,"
over and over again.
"Yes, you
| . |
Kathy Guillermo is the vice president of laboratory investigations for People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510;
www.StopAnimalTests.com.
Copyright 2010|PETA & Ambiente. Do not reproduce without prior authorization.
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