Chimpanzees use a system of different sounds to communicate with each other. One type of cry seems to mean something like “danger in the air or “big birds” and another apparently means “danger on the ground” or “snakes”. The first cry causes them to hide in holes or under trees and look up at the sky. When they hear the second cry, they hide in the upper branches of trees and stare nervously at the grass.
Chimpanzees are capable of learning sign language. One Chip called Washoe learned to make about 160 separate signs meaning things like “give me a drink” and “banana”. Washoe even learned to swear. She had a teacher called Jack who once refused to give her a drink. Washoe got angry and used several signs which meant “dirty Jack”. A group of chimps at a research institute in Atlanta, Georgia, has recently been taught to type sentences using a computer. The chimp’s trainer was called, Tim, and he kept correcting the mistakes made by one of the chimps. The chimp obviously wanted Tim to stop correcting him and type out the following request “Tim, please leave this room”.
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