As it seems to with unsettling frequency, the topic of primate intelligence came up in a conversation of mine recently. I used the following video as an example of language comprehension and the emotional capacity of grief among the great apes.:
Click ME!
What I can't wrap my brain around is the fact that a kitten was left in the care of a gorilla, yet it's the humans that got the cat killed. The following day, Koko displayed further humanlike behavior by filing for a negligence lawsuit. Trainers were amazed to find her studying the paperwork, but amazement quickly turned to distress as she presented the documents and, in perfect sign language, signed "You've been served." They really are just like humans!
The case of Koko illustrates the most primitive form of human intelligence. Gorillas and other great apes can share as much as 99% of our genetic code, making them our closest living relatives. The mere 1% difference is responsible for Wacky Bandz, Ed Hardy, and reality television, leaving one only to speculate whether we truly are the superior species. Myself, I think I'll go with the apes on this one...
However, this study confirms what I've been arguing for years: Sasquatch potentially has an enormous capacity for love.
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