Sunday, 8 May 2011

CAN APES REALLY COMMUNICATE WITH HUMANS.

Can Human Beings really communicate with our jungle and forest cousins. Some years ago I watched a documentary about a relationship between a male Ape and a Zoologist which lasted for approximately 18 months. During this time the pair bonded and using sign language they had the ability to communicate with each other at a basic level. Eventually the Zoologist had to move on but he never forgot his Ape friend. After a number of years he felt the need to find out what has happened to the Ape he befriended. After an extensive search he found out that the Ape was being held at a research lab in the USA. He got permission to visit the lab and when he came across the Ape it was in a cage that was far too small for it. As he approached the Ape he signed that he was glad to see him and the Ape replied using sign said "Where were you". The zoologist found this reunion very emotional and had mixed feelings about if he did the right thing in going to see the Ape. I can't remember the outcome of this story ( I don't think they met again ) but I thought that It was really sad to see where the Ape had ended up.

The videos below show a Gorilla using sign language to communicate with its keepers. See what you think.

                                                   
                                                          


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68 comments:

  1. Matt8 May 2011 at 06:44

    I believe that in some ways they can understand our emotions and feelings and can grasp mutual friendship. (watched a programme once where a man doing a documentary returned to a pack of Silverbacks after a year and they all recognised him and welcomed him back) so it is hard to say for sure.

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  2. Mike8 May 2011 at 07:37

    I'm sure I read somewhere that they actually had there own language to warn others of predators and or food.

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  3. sp3nny8 May 2011 at 07:40

    really interesting!

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  4. Anonymous8 May 2011 at 08:10

    I do think there is a certain way to understand emotions, just as I've learned to recognize how cats express themselves.

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  5. lacrosseman8 May 2011 at 08:28

    I knew that with research we would find closer ties between us and apes

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  6. jaykaydee8 May 2011 at 09:08

    First thing that comes to mind: Tarzan.

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  7. BluRayBoy8 May 2011 at 09:52

    D'aww the "where were you" part almost brought a tear to my eye. Nice post, gonna follow for more!

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  8. CPH8 May 2011 at 10:04

    I really believe they can, personally. They aren't far from us genetically...

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  9. DFP8 May 2011 at 10:45

    Even if you have a dog, you know it doesn't take much for simple emotional interaction to occur. I'm sure if they have the means, they can communicate.

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  10. Born_Disturbed8 May 2011 at 11:36

    I think its really sad what ended up happening to the gorilla you mentioned... they are obviously intelligent enough to communicate with us we should treat them better

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  11. Team Panda8 May 2011 at 11:36

    wow, thats seriously sad. Should of taken the ape home or something.

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  12. Astronomy Pirate8 May 2011 at 11:45

    That's pretty cool that he ape remembered him, it's to bad that he ended up in a cage.

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  13. Dejch8 May 2011 at 12:16

    looks like they can :)

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  14. Jim8 May 2011 at 12:43

    This reminds me of Planet of the Apes.

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  15. N4M3L3SS8 May 2011 at 12:46

    ouch by the ballz

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  16. Moobeat8 May 2011 at 13:40

    interesting

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  17. m.m.8 May 2011 at 14:14

    I thought of Tarzan too. I actually had a dream about Tarzan last night...?? Wasn't communicating with apes, though. Just swinging through trees.

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  18. 1238 May 2011 at 14:17

    i can talk to my cat

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  19. Spade8 May 2011 at 14:27

    Wow thats bizarre.

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  20. Max Power8 May 2011 at 14:47

    Of course they can! But you wanna talk about smart animals, go read up on crows. Deceptively, insanely smart animals.

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  21. Kicking Rocks8 May 2011 at 14:52

    Thats pretty interesting!!! I remember seeing this documentary about a monkey who thought it was human an walked upright.

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  22. ed8 May 2011 at 14:53

    thats nothing - i talk to stray cats and stuff

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  23. -E-8 May 2011 at 14:57

    haha classic shatner.

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  24. Unknown8 May 2011 at 15:25

    I'd be heartbroken to see an old friend in a cage like that. Especially if he made me feel guilty about his present conditions.

    And then there was Shatner. At least I ended with a smile. :D

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  25. Jesse Crows8 May 2011 at 15:43

    hahaha this is classic!

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  26. LunaSihne8 May 2011 at 15:47

    Gorillas scare me.

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  27. Zip8 May 2011 at 16:55

    Sad stuff, probably made the ape sadder to see him go.

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  28. OatmealStout8 May 2011 at 17:15

    I've seen some documentaries and whatnot on this. Interesting stuff.

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  29. Astronomy Pirate8 May 2011 at 17:27

    Oh dang, I gave you the same award as Kicking Rocks. Just a testament to your blogs awesomeness.

    http://astropirate.blogspot.com/2011/05/sunshine-award.html

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  30. HiFi8 May 2011 at 17:51

    Whoa, the part about the ape asking where he was. That's definitive proof that apes are highly intelligent beings. I've no doubt that other animals are intelligent, but apes are just able to communicate it.

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  31. The Red Room8 May 2011 at 18:15

    i agree with @hifi that other animals are intelligent and apes are just able to communicate it.

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  32. $ome Music8 May 2011 at 18:15

    what was shatner thinking?

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  33. christopherson8 May 2011 at 18:17

    i believe we all have emotion and struggle against expressing it, even "beasts".

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  34. Mile High Film8 May 2011 at 18:39

    Fascinating. Ever see that wonderfully horrible film congo?

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  35. pixel8 May 2011 at 19:05

    real sad story...

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  36. Daisy8 May 2011 at 19:58

    Awww, kind of a sad story but very interesting! I think any animal can see our emotions to some extent.

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  37. ChaCha8 May 2011 at 20:53

    This is exactly why we have to protect this species!

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  38. Elliot MacLeod-Michael8 May 2011 at 21:45

    sad story. don't think that creature did anything to deserve being jailed.
    +followed

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  39. Jessica Thompson8 May 2011 at 23:57

    Of course they can, we are their decendents after all!

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  40. Endless9 May 2011 at 01:04

    they will eat your face!

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  41. D22 Zone9 May 2011 at 01:20

    Love your blogging work! Keep up the good work you make really good posts!

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  42. Atley9 May 2011 at 04:19

    too bad dolphins dont have hands... they could have full on converstations.

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  43. Daniel Smotherman9 May 2011 at 04:41

    Good post, thanks for sharing.

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  44. Sean9 May 2011 at 07:27

    Yeah I think they are smart enough. The only thing that makes us different are our thumbs and more advanced brain (arguable)

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  45. T. Banacek9 May 2011 at 07:55

    I don't see why not. We communicate with dogs.

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  46. Leo Stahl9 May 2011 at 08:36

    It's the level of communication that differs apes from cats, dogs, etc. Of course we can communicate with cats and dogs but only to the extent that when we make a noise at a certain tone that they recognize they then react to this noise with a behavior that has been previously linked to that noise. Such as calling their name or sit, rollover, etc. They don't posses high functioning communicative capabilities. If apes can do sign language then that is light years beyond cats and dogs.

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  47. allabout9 May 2011 at 09:06

    an interesting communication lesson for us to be able to share with fellow creatures of god.

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  48. Jay Reid9 May 2011 at 09:39

    My dogs can communicate their emotions, I'm sure apes can too...

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  49. Bart9 May 2011 at 10:33

    ohh all the racism i could say but wont :)

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  50. Anonymous9 May 2011 at 11:08

    Love you blog title man, and awesome post. Will be following.

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  51. Maggie9 May 2011 at 11:34

    ive seen this before and since theyre soo a like i think it is very possible

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  52. pOlka9 May 2011 at 12:23

    The ape really seem to be intelligent.

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  53. Mike9 May 2011 at 12:45

    I believe sentient animals will be a possibility in the future.

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  54. Ben Sheetz9 May 2011 at 15:00

    Shatner with a gorilla made my day.

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  55. T. Roger Thomas9 May 2011 at 15:10

    That Gorilla had a chance to finally rid the world of the annoying Priceline guy and he failed.

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  56. Michael9 May 2011 at 16:35

    I always talk to my dogs as if they can understand me, but that's just me being strange

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  57. Malkavian9 May 2011 at 16:38

    Thats really something i remember seeing a vid of a Lion that grew up with a couple of guys and after a few years they send the Lion to a shelter or something. Then after a few years they visited the Lion and they where all emotional and where going straight to hug the Lion and i thought DAMN THIS IS NOT GONNA END WELL and for my surprise THE FREAKING LION RECOGNIZED THEM AND PLAYED WITH THEM i was Shocked and in all seriousness i teared up a bit.

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  58. Anonymous9 May 2011 at 17:26

    Wow, that really is amazing. It's too bad the gorilla you mentioned ended up in that situation.

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  59. Unknown9 May 2011 at 17:35

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  60. Lunarchy9 May 2011 at 21:34

    Really fascinating stuff! And touching!

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  61. J.R.9 May 2011 at 22:10

    Dolphins and apes always seem so smart for being animals.

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  62. Potholderz9 May 2011 at 22:38

    I've always wanted a spider monkey, i know they can't communicate as well, but it would still be badass.

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  63. Loev10 May 2011 at 03:54

    Well, obviosuly monkeys are not the dumbest animal you can find. So I bet there is something going on besides bananas inside their furry heads! And I would pay big bucks to know what, lol. I can imagine some crazy thoughts they must have...or not at all. eh.


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  64. King Elysium10 May 2011 at 03:59

    I hear some ape's have been taught sign language.

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  65. Dootzkie10 May 2011 at 06:52

    Communication can happen on may levels. For example, facial expressions is being used to communicate with wolves on a basic level, so I do believe that some communication can be performed with primates as well.

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  66. BigMike10 May 2011 at 11:40

    Ya, they do not have the depth of communication that comes with speech but they still express feelings and emotions... that shit was sad about the ape "where were you"

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  67. Dave10 May 2011 at 12:18

    Yeah Shatner was funny lol.

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  68. Anonymous11 May 2011 at 01:43

    Wow, this is really interesting. Maybe they can, not magically, of course. Maybe our facial expressions can say more that we think.

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