Washoe Bronze Statue Tribute

Who Was Washoe

Washoe was born in West Africa around September of 1965, as her exact birthday is unknown. After a brief period with the Air Force space program, Dr's. R. Allen and Beatrix T. Gardner from the University of Nevada adopted her at about age six months to begin what is known as the "Project Washoe." Washoe County in Reno, Nevada where she was cross fostered for five years as if she were a deaf child and no humans spoke in her presence. Only American Sign Language (ASL) was used to communicate with her. She became the first non-human to acquire a human language.

Roger and Debbie Fouts continued to work with Washoe and other signing chimpanzees at the University of Oklahoma. In 1980 the Fouts moved to Central Washington University with Washoe, her adopted son Loulis and Moja, another signing chimpanzee. Tatu and Dar joined Washoe's family in 1982. Work with language acquisition and use continued as these chimpanzees were monitored through video cameras and direct observation. Numerous studies with Washoe and her Chimpanzee family were conducted in observing how they behave together and communicate when humans are removed from the visible environment.

In 1992, the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute (CHCI) was constructed at Central Washington University to provide a more appropriate and safe home for Washoe and her family. Ongoing non-intrusive research continued in this new facility where the chimpanzees have always come first. "Chimposiums" were created to allow the public the opportunity to learn about and observe these signing chimpanzees. Public school children, university students, seniors and other groups and individuals have learned and observed Washoe and her family through these one-hour sessions.

An enrichment program provided Washoe and her family with opportunities to learn new words and have new experiences through exploration of different foods and objects as well as unique interactions with their human friends.

Washoe, the matriarch of the family, passed away on October 30, 2007. She was 42 years old. Over the last 40 years, Washoe and her family of chimpanzees have changed the way people all over the world think about animals, about animal intelligence, and about our responsibilities to the earth and our fellow beings.

And thus the WASHOE TRIBUTE GROUP was formed in the community of Ellensburg to keep her spirit alive and to remind us all of our responsibility to our non-human friends.

To read a couple fascinating papers click the links below:
Chimpanzees' Use of Sign Language by Roger S. Fouts & Deborah H. Fouts
The Infant Loulis Learns Signs from Cross-Fostered Chimpanzees by Roger S. Fouts, Deborah H. Fouts and Thomas E. Van Cantfort

To open the above pdf files you will need Adobe Reader. If you don't have it, click the "Get Adobe Reader" link below for a free download.

We invite you to learn more about Washoe and her family by clicking the below links:
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