An Inspiring Home for Apes Additional Information

Recommended Web sites:

You can learn more about Chantek, the orangutan raised by anthropologist Lyn Miles, at www.chantek.org(Chantek Foundation).

An article about Chantek’s arrival at Zoo Atlanta is available at www.cnn.com/EARTH/9711/28/signing.orangutan.ap/(CNN).

Information about creating culture-based preserves for apes can be found at www.apenet.org/(Animal Nation).

The band Animal Nation has a Web site at www.animalnationmusic.com/(Animal Nation Music).

A 2003 news report from CNN about the possible discovery of a new ape species in Africa is available at www.primates.com/misc/mystery-ape.html(Primate Conservation).

McDonagh, Sorcha. 2004. Monkey business. Science News 165(April 3):218-220. Available at http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20040403/bob9.asp.


Books recommended by SearchIt!Science:

The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours —Jane Goodall

Published by Scholastic, 2001.

Jane Goodall always dreamed of studying animals in the wild jungles of Africa. When she was 26, she finally had the chance to go to Tanzania and study chimpanzees in the Gombe National Park. Today, the observation continues. Scientists record and analyze the behavior of the same chimpanzee families that Jane studied 40 years ago. In this book, Jane Goodall recalls how she met and became accepted by the chimps. She details how chimps communicate, tells the stories of two mothers and babies, and describes what life is like working with chimps in the forest. Finally, she describes how chimps are studied in captivity, and discusses their treatment in captivity. The book tells how you can protect the chimps, which are more like humans than any other living animal.

Signs of the Apes, Songs of the Whales: Adventures in Animal Communication — George Harrar

Published by Simon & Schuster, 1989.

Meet a mother who chews gum, looks at picture books, and communicates using American Sign Language. The surprise is that she is a chimpanzee. Washoe was taught sign language by scientists studying whether chimps can use human language. Scientists are also teaching whales and dolphins signals to investigate their communication abilities. These animals appear to communicate extensively with others of their own species. They sing different songs to locate relatives, to coordinate group swims, and to prepare to fight.

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Power Words

primate A type of mammal that is very intelligent and has eyes that face forward, a shortened nose, and opposable thumbs. Most types of primates live together in groups and interact with each other in many ways. Monkeys, apes, and humans are primates.

Copyright © 2002, 2003 Houghton-Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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