Pan bloglodytes: The official blog of the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute

On Friday February 22, 2008 Mary Lee Jensvold, Deborah and Roger Fouts went to Olympia, Washington, our beautiful state capitol where the State Legislature would vote on a resolution to honor Washoe and recognize the work of the Fouts. Joining us was CWU’s new provost, Dr. Wayne Quirk, and the new Interim Dean of the College of the Sciences, Dr. Martha Kurtz as well as Laurie Pond, one of the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute (CHCI) first volunteers. Ann Anderson, CWU’s Director of Governmental Affairs guided us through the day accompanied by Jake Stillwell, Washington State Student Lobbyist representing CWU and Marshall Shefler, another CWU student serving as a Government Relations Intern.

The capitol building is beautiful. The dome is reminiscent of our nation’s capitol and the interior is all marble. Right inside the entrance and at the bottom of a grand staircase leading to the rotunda was a display including a beautiful photograph of Washoe and a description of the project and the work of the Fouts and CHCI. To set the perfect tone there was a string orchestra from the Walla Walla Valley Academy playing music that was acoustically perfect. Sitting along the steps schoolchildren ate their lunches and looked at the display. Even on this day, Washoe continued to carry her message of compassion and respect for our fellow beings.

As we absorbed all of this, the Fouts were greeted by legislators, Rep. Judy Warnick, Rep. Janea Holmquist, Rep. Bill Hinkle, and Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson. We then proceeded up to the observation gallery above the floor from where the representatives govern our state. The resolution, which was sponsored by Rep. Judy Warnick with support from Bill Hinkle, honoring Washoe was read. Then Rep. Warnick and Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson each read tributes supporting the Washoe resolution. The house then unanimously passed the resolution. The Fouts were honored with warm applause from the Representatives. It was heartwarming to know that the Fouts’ decades of dedication to the chimpanzees, to Central Washington University, and its students were being recognized. The House Speaker and CWU alumni, Jeff Morris, described his experience as a freshman in 1982 taking classes in the psychology building. That building was the chimpanzees’ home from 1980-1993 and classrooms were above and below the chimpanzees’ floor. Classes in adjacent floors, like Speaker Morris’, paused when the sounds of the chimpanzees were louder than the lecturer. Speaker Morris described his experience, which brought smiles to the faces of the legislatures.

The Fouts’ were touched when Rep. Helen Sommers left the floor of the House of Representative to warmly greet them. Later in the afternoon the Fouts had opportunity to visit with Senator Marilyn Rasmussen. She was one of the key sponsors of the budget request in 1990 that secured the funds to build the CHCI building that was completed in 1992. Both Rep. Sommers and Senator Rasmussen were long time friends who were glad to see the Fouts in Olympia again. It was a heartfelt day and we were honored to be a part of it. We all miss Washoe dearly, but it gives us comfort to know she’s free and it humbles our soul to know even in death she is teaching us about our place in nature.

From left to right: Rep. Jenea Holmquist, Roger Fouts, Rep. Judy Warnick, Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, Rep. Bill Hinkle, Deborah Fouts

From left to right: Roger Fouts, State Senator Marilyn Rasmussen, and Deborah Fouts.

From left to right: Jake Stillwell, Marshall Shefler, Ann Anderson, Roger Fouts, Marilyn Rasmussen, Deborah Fouts, Laurie Pond, Martha Kurtz, Mary Lee Jensvold, and Wayne Quirk

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Washoe, our beloved friend, passed away on the evening of Tuesday, October 30, after a brief illness. At the time of her passing she was at home at the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute, with her family and closest friends.

Washoe was 42 years old, a long life for a female chimpanzee. Most females in captivity live an average of 33.5 years.

We would like, here, to answer a few of the commonly asked questions about Washoe’s passing.

Q: How did Washoe die?
A: According to Washoe’s physician, the best we can say right now is that she died of very old age. Veterinary doctors at Washington State University are completing an autopsy, and Washoe’s physician is consulting with them to determine additional details.

Q: What were Washoe’s last words?
A: Washoe did not sign the night she died.

Q: Will you get another chimpanzee to replace her?
A: Just as you cannot replace a sister or a mother in your family who has passed away, there is no “replacing” Washoe in this family. Currently, we have no plans to either introduce a new chimpanzee to this family or to introduce the remaining members of this family to another established group.

Q: How are Tatu, Dar, and Loulis dealing with the loss?
A: Washoe’s family has been very quiet since her death, very helpful and calm. They are just recently returning to a more typical energy level in their daily activities. Tatu did sign HURT to Roger and Deborah Fouts for a few days after Washoe’s death.

Q: Will the project continue?
A: At CHCI, we will continue to do what has always been our first priority—to provide the best home we possibly can for Washoe’s family. Research will carry on as well; we will continue to encourage students to develop interesting questions, and methods that are enjoyable and enriching for the chimpanzees. We also have video of Washoe, Moja, Tatu, Dar, and Loulis and written data to last several lifetimes of active research.

Q: What about the hierarchy? Who is the new alpha individual?
A: It is still too soon to determine any changes in the family’s hierarchy, and it may well be that no clearly dominant individual emerges. We are not instituting any artificial hierarchy; for example, we are not choosing to serve one family member before the rest during dinner, a privilege that used to be Washoe’s as the alpha individual.

Q: What can I do to help?
A: Consider making a donation to Friends of Washoe in Washoe’s name. This will help us continue to do what she did so well: care for her family. Instead of a direct donation, you might also consider donating a gift card to Costco, Target, Fred Meyer, Safeway, or similar establishments, so that we can purchase treats, enrichment items, and other things for the chimpanzees. If you’d like to directly support Washoe’s legacy, please consider donating to the CHCI Legacy Project, which is working to preserve the video record of the lives of Washoe and the other chimpanzees for generations to come. Write us at chci@cwu.edu for more information.

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Cleve Hicks, a former graduate student at CHCI, has written a new article to appear on RichardDawkins.net about the newly discovered Bili apes. The chimpanzees are facing new threats from mining and bushmeat. Cleve has given us permission to reprint his article on the Friends of Washoe website.

Read The Bili Apes Are In Trouble! by Cleve Hicks

Learn more about bushmeat, the single biggest threat to chimpanzees in Africa

Read more about The Bili Ape Project, at the Wasmoeth Wildlife Foundation

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