Quoted in National Geographic

On the heels of my May 31 interview on CNN, I was part of an article published in National Geographic on a topic completely separate from Harambe the gorilla's untimely demise.

As part of my work with the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance, I submitted an affidavit that the organization would be happy to take in eight chimpanzees that were destined to be transported overseas from a research laboratory in Georgia to an unaccredited zoo in the United Kingdom. This has, understandably, made news and National Geographic published an article, "Controversial Plan Would Send Lab Chimps to Unaccredited Zoo," exploring why so many primate experts are against the transfer.

Fortunately, the completely unnecessary and avoidable transfer of the chimpanzees has been delayed until at least September, so that the court can gather more information on the case. I am happy to be a part of this and hope that we will be successful in stopping this move.

Interviewed live on CNN

There was a sudden and unexpected flurry of activity in primate-related news when a child fell into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. Although the child was ok in the end, zoo staff fatally shot Harambe, a male gorilla in the enclosure who went over to the dazed toddler and dragged him around. There was much speculation over if Harambe meant to harm or protect the child, and of course nobody knows the answer to this. The days-long discussions meant that primatologists and animal experts were busy fielding media inquiries - myself included.

The most exciting event during this time was that I was interviewed live on CNN.

In addition, I was interviewed for articles in The Boston Herald and The Hot Zone, and supplied information for articles in USA Today and Reuters.

It was a very unfortunate accident that occurred, but it is my hope that discussions continue about the safety of zoo enclosures - for both the humans and animals involved - and that perhaps the utility of zoos is questioned overall.

Book Review: We Love You, Charlie Freeman

A family hand-rears a young chimpanzee for a language study – what could go wrong? As with the sign language studies involving chimpanzees raised in human homes in the 1970s and 1980s, there is much to go awry.

This book follows the Freemans, a fictional family plucked from gritty Boston suburbs to live under the microscope of a research institute. They have been assigned to raise Charlie, a needy infant chimpanzee, and teach him sign language. We quickly are introduced to much more than this strange situation, however. The Freemans’ experience involves complexities of race, assimilation and family dynamics. The book is more about the family and less about their exotic new addition. Charlie the chimpanzee is really an ancillary character, whose presence brings about truths that are neither attractive nor comfortable for the family members to face. As they cope with what has been put in front of them, the Freemans’ pain and desire to seek comfort is beautifully and precisely human.