R.I.P Washoe

Washoe the chimp died on Oct. 30th at the age of 42. She was the first non-human to learn American Sign Language (ASL). She was named for Washoe county, Nevada, where she was raised and trained in ASL. At the time of her death, she resided at Central Washington University.

There was controversy about the project and the claims that Washoe could use 250 ASL signs. Still, the project was groundbreaking in the field of animal communications. Washoe eventually passed on her knowledge of ASL to her adopted son Loulis.

R.I.P. Washoe.