After listening to Dr. Stuart Shanker's radio broadcast about the Bonobo Apes, I couldn't help but research the topic further. I found an amazing TEDtalks video at: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/susan_savage_rumbaugh_on_apes_that_write.html with Susan Savage-Rumbaugh presenting her research and videos on the Bonobo Apes she works with.

Probably what stuck with me most after listening to Dr Shanker's broadcast was the fact the these apes have the ability to not only learn another language, they have in fact learned two languages (spoken english, and a form of sign language).

If it is true that we lose our ability to learn language without exposure before the age of 6, then it seems reasonable that apes would lose that ability at some point as well. Considering the fact that these apes (of various ages) have learned human like language, then possibly some Chomskian, language acquisition device is present in them, which must mean the ape comunities must use some form of language to communicate. (Maybe if not an aquisition devise, possibly a biological predisposition towards language aquistion ). It is amusing that without being taught these apes have learned to understand our language, yet we still can't communicate with them in their language.

It is also quite amazing that this species has the ability for empathy and self soothing. Could we learn more about the treatment of conditions such as autism by observing Bonobos?