Animal Books

Posts Tagged ‘Roger Lewin’

The Ape at the Brink of the Human Mind

Ah, the great great ape Kanzi.  If you are a fan of smart animals and you do not know who Kanzi the Bonobo is, you probably should read this book.  I am very excited and pleased to present this book on Kanzi, the ape that learned to understand human’s language.

If you ever wondered if animals had the ability to think, this book will prove that they do without question.  If you ever if humans could ever talk to the animals, Kanzi proves that it is possible.

An example of lexigram symbols

Although Kanzi does not have the ability to speak like humans, Kanzi can certainly communicate in another form of language by using the Lexigram system, which is using symbols that represents a word.

This method of communication may seem strange or unimpressive, but once you see Kanzi in action you will understand how amazing it is.  For example, if the person working with kanzi had a banana in their pocket, Kanzi would probably point to the banana symbol to let them know what he wanted.

Another amazing ability that Kanzi possessed was the ability to understand human’s spoken language.  This is the really amazing thing about kanzi, for he could sit and listen to a human speak and know exactly what that person is saying.  If you look at the video below, you can see that Kanzi fully understands the woman talking.  The reason the woman has a mask over her head is to show you how kanzi does not need to the aid of reading lips, he is just hearing what needs to be done.

If you need an introduction to Kanzi, please view the youtube video to the left.

Ok, good.  Now you know Kanzi!  Back to the book review.

This book is by far the best book written on a great ape learning to communicate with humans.  The author, Sue Savage-Rumbaugh (along with Roger Lewin) is the perfect person to write on this topic because she spent years teaching Kanzi how to use the Lexigram system so that they could communicate with each other.

If you are fascinated with this Bonobo Chimpanzee, you need to check this out.  The middle of the book has a nice selection of black and white photos of Kanzi throughout the years that will make you giggle with delight as you seen him wanting to go for a ride in the van, without anyone giving him the key to unlock the door you can see a photo of Kanzi using a screwdriver he had found on the ground to try to stick it in the keyhole to unlock the door.  There are photos of Kanzi at a very young age, Kanzi playing with the Lexigram charts and many more!

Who should read this book?

If you are interested in learning more about Kanzi, check it out.  If you want to find out how a chimpanzee was taught to communicate with humans, this book is for you!

For further reading, please check out all of the animal books that i have reviewed.  Also please feel free to check out some of my animal pictures that i have taken! I have recently reviewed Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape which is a must read for bonobo lovers!