Jane Goodall books for kids

I love Jane Goodall. I really can't think of a better hero for a kids' book, which makes me very happy about Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell and The Watcher by Jeanette Winter.

The video below, in which McDonnell says about Goodall, "She has the mind of a scientist but the heart of a poet," is a good intro to both books. You should buy them for me.

Chimps on film

Wait, what? I have to wait a year to see this? The countdown begins...

Via Videogum.

Smoking will kill you.

Eventually.

R.I.P. Charlie, the cigarette smoking chimp (1958-2010).

The unspeakable acts of Chimp and Frog

So apparently there exists a video on YouTube of a chimp and a frog engaged in unspeakable acts. You can Google it if you want. I'll pass. The artwork said video has inspired is enough for me.

Maybe she was adopted

More chimp family members via Awkward Family Photos. I would be lying if I said I had any idea what's going on in this picture. Or why the chimp is wearing what looks like sneakers and a bathing suit.

Chimp dreams are made of this

There have been some really fantastic photos at Awkward Family Photos recently, including this photo of a little girl in her bed with a chimp. I presume she knows the chimp, but you never know. Maybe he sneaked in through her window. I certainly hope he doesn't have fleas.

PS: Touched By A Monkey and its affiliates do not advocate keeping primates as pets.

cc: all your racist friends

Wonkette brings our attention to "your usual totally innocent racist email about the Obamas which was thoughtlessly forwarded by some douche who just thought he was having some lighthearted fun, talking about monkeys and black people."

It looks like Wonkette took the photos from the racist email out of the original post and replaced them with "[Photo of a chimp making a face, followed by a photo of Michelle Obama making a face]" because the photos are in the email about the racist email (are you following this?) my sister sent to me. But I'm not going to repost the photos because they're, like, racist. And racism deserves to be kicked in the nuts.

A chimp with a monkey on his back

Chimp gets sent to rehab to dry out. And in Russia, no less. How cliché.

Thanks, Laura, for the tip.

"Five Reasons Pigs Are More Awesome Than You" by The Oatmeal

In which we learn that pigs are almost as smart as chimps.

Monkey and Poetry Convergence: William Hathaway edition

There's a most excellent poem in the October 2009 issue of Poetry by William Hathaway. "Today" begins "Today a celebrity chimpanzee went postal, / tearing up a woman’s face in Connecticut." You can read the poem on Poetry's Web site.

While digging around for some more information about Hathaway I discovered that a William Hathaway published a book of poems titled A Wilderness of Monkeys in 1975. Not sure if it's the same William Hathaway of the chimp face tearing poem or not. If anyone knows, please fill me in.

Walking the chimp walk, talking the chimp talk

One minute scientists are studying speech disorders in humans, the next minute they're "comparing how a gene critical for language works in humans and chimpanzees" and trying to unravel the mystery of language.

So without primates there'd be no words. And without words there'd be no poetry. So next time you read a good poem, thank your local monkey.

Thanks, Laura, for the tip.

Chimp grief

Xeni Jarden posted this National Geographic photo on Boing Boing as proof that chimps grieve. I'm already a believer, but this helps reinforce that.

I think some of the comments on Boing Boing are quite funny ("I too would like to be pushed past my mourners in a wheelbarrow" and, "Grief, or animal curiosity? Don't anthropomorphise these creatures, they hate that"), but some are quite callous, and also very telling, I think. Perhaps chimps have more heart than humans.

The full story behind the photo is on the National Geographic blog.

Thanks, Laura, for the tip.

It would take more than a chimp to save Glenn Beck

The only thing that could make Morning Zoo FM radio shows worse is Glenn Beck.



Via Animal.

The original tree huggers

Could it be that Tarzan was based in fact?


Also: here's why chimps are dumb (and I mean "dumb" in a non-offensive Helen Keller kind of way).

Ape Genius on NOVA

Thanks, Meghan, for bringing this episode of NOVA to my attention where "experts zero in on what separates humans from our closest living relatives." You can watch the whole thing online.

Warning: not intelligent design/creationist friendly.

Here are my notes from the video. Because I am an educator:

Part 1: Chimps and water sports. Monkeys eating monkeys (a.k.a. "You'll poke your eye out!"). White people in the jungle.

Part 2: More chimp water sports. Monkey see monkey do. Judy gets addicted to slots. Obligatory Jane Goodall cameo. Ape grief.

Part 3. Termite fishing. More monkeys eating monkeys. Apes work together to prepare the Great Takeover. Helper monkeys. Chimp chow challenge. Foster apes. Invasion of the body snatchers.

Part 4: Chimp math. Ape English majors. Ape spaz outs. Ape greed. Gummy Bear gimmies.

Part 5: Take off my shoe, ape. Princess Sally and the stupidity of three-year-olds. Will work for food.

Part 6: It's not rude to point. Turbo-triangle. Teaching, smeaching. Smarter than a monkey.

You're welcome.