Chimpanzee Dar, who learned to speak in signs, dies
posted in 28 Nov 2012

 His mother, the famous Washoe, taught her adopted son Dar to speak the sign language, as well as Loulis and Tatu. This was the group of  speakers chimpanzees, who impressed the world and lived in Central Washington University, where they are accompanied by a group of scientists.

Washoe died in 2007. Dar died unexpectedly at age 36. Loulis, 34, and Tatu, 36, became increasingly alone.

Dar gained his name due to the capital of Tanzania – Dar es Salaam. He was found dead on last November 22  and an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of his death.

Dar’s companion was Loulis, who was the first great ape that could learn sign language from his  own mother. Loulis was adopted by Washoe in 1979, when she tragically lost her biological son.

Tatu, who completed 37 years old in December, is considered by the institute in Washington the most articulate of all the speaking chimpanzees. He remembers hisr handlers all the holidays of the year, as Christmas, which he calls as “sweet tree”; Thanksgiving Day, which he calls “meat bird” and the day of his birthday, which he calls “Ice Cream Day of Dar “, which he loves despite not tolerate milk with lactose.

The Great Apes of the world and all their human defenders can never forget what this group of chimpanzees have taught us in life – they do not  hate their primitive brothers humans, despite all the violence committed against them, and some day the survivors of this fight may be people in our societies.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian
President, GAP Project International