Reading this morning's local paper, I came upon an article stating that at some zoos in the world, zookeepers are offering Ipads to their great apes. Orangutans seem to be the preferred species. (Perhaps after PLANET OF THE APES, people don't trust chimpanzees anymore...) The apes seem to be capable of sign language communications, inter-species, but simply lack the physical equipment to speak verbally. Giving them Ipads, employing programs used for autistic kids and other developmentally different humans, enables the orangs to communicate their rudimentary thoughts, feelings and needs.
Of course I began to wonder if wi-fi was also available to them. If so, can they download movies, books, SKYPE apes in other facilities? How long will it take for them to start comparing menus, play areas, downtime? What happens when PETA starts to e-mail? Will their screen-savers and wallpaper include photos of Jane Goodall or other primatologists? What religious tracts will they subscribe to?
(What will they think of alien abductions...)
Of course we can speculate ad nauseum. We can fill the op-ed pages and the funnies. The next cover of THE NEW YORKER may even feature an orang on Wall Street, checking out the stock market...(I better get royalties for that idea!). But stop for a moment. Consider what we've done in the name of conservation and the name of experimentation to our Great Apes all over the planet.
While some in our ranks are waiting for machines to suddenly come alive and realize they are smarter than us, I cannot help but wonder when we will get the first text message from a zoo, stating:
LET ME OUT!
Of course I began to wonder if wi-fi was also available to them. If so, can they download movies, books, SKYPE apes in other facilities? How long will it take for them to start comparing menus, play areas, downtime? What happens when PETA starts to e-mail? Will their screen-savers and wallpaper include photos of Jane Goodall or other primatologists? What religious tracts will they subscribe to?
(What will they think of alien abductions...)
Of course we can speculate ad nauseum. We can fill the op-ed pages and the funnies. The next cover of THE NEW YORKER may even feature an orang on Wall Street, checking out the stock market...(I better get royalties for that idea!). But stop for a moment. Consider what we've done in the name of conservation and the name of experimentation to our Great Apes all over the planet.
While some in our ranks are waiting for machines to suddenly come alive and realize they are smarter than us, I cannot help but wonder when we will get the first text message from a zoo, stating:
LET ME OUT!
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