It can be considered a dream, or an irrational idea, or a demagogic proposal. But it is a riveting idea and maybe a sign of solution to save a species which is threatened to extinction if something radical is not done in the next two decades.

The authors of this “proposal” are the ones responsible for taking to the world the knowledge of what it is to be a chimpanzee, and how close they are to us. Washoe, the chimpanzee who lived with Roger and Deborah Fouts until shw was five, who learned the sign language, who believed she was human and the chimpanzees were “hairy animals, was the main subject of the book “Next of Kin: My conversations with chimpanzees”. The book discovered them to the world and was translated to several languages.

Washoe transmitted what she learned to her family and was able to communicate through the same sign language used by deaf people. The Fouts were at Barcelona in the beginning of the month, in an event in a museum called “Talking to chimpanzees.”

In this event, the riveting proposal was announced by both of them in total agreement, facing the question: what it is necessary to be done to avoid the extinction of the species Pan (Homo) troglodytes? Captivity is not the solution, it is a kind of patch to save the lives of creatures destroyed by human truculence. The definitive solution is giving them a country, where they would have autonomy, rights, rules and guarantees. A country free of animal dealers, hidden hunters and other people who try to explore them. A country that they had already, but was taken out of them due to the greed of mining explorers, zoos, circuses, poaches, show business men and several other irrational human beings. A country with a wide jungle, which is their refugee and protects them from enemies of yesterday, today and tomorrow. A country that used to be theirs, but was stolen. Every chimpanzee in the world would have the right to be transfer for there, and not be exhibited in zoos, or work in circuses, or be pets in human homes; there would be no need of sanctuaries to host them. The only sanctuary will be the country of the chimpanzees, in middle Africa, from were they were taken, without being asked, to be spread all over the world.

The genial idea of the Fouts maybe is a dream, but it is also a challenge. They have rights, had a country that was taken out of them. Human beings can do justice and give them back the country that was theirs before we exist as a species. In the end, they arrived here before us and because of that they have gained this right.

The solution is presented… Who will be courageous enough to put it in practice? It is a dream, but with some chance to become a reality. Let’s fight for it! This is the least we can do for the species with whom we have so deep genetic and historical bonds.