‘Genius’ chimpanzee who could paint, count and recognise colours dies at 49
Chimp who could paint and count dies aged 49
- Ai, a West African-born chimpanzee renowned for her cognitive abilities, has died in Japan at the age of 49 from multiple organ failure linked to old age.
- She was the central figure of the pioneering “Ai Project” at Kyoto University, which aimed to understand how chimpanzees perceive, remember, and interpret the world.
- Ai demonstrated remarkable skills, including recognising Arabic numerals from zero to nine, 11 different colours, over 100 Chinese characters, and the English alphabet.
- Her participation in studies, which began at about a year old using a computer-linked keyboard, provided crucial insights into the chimpanzee mind and the evolution of the human mind.
- Ai was also known for her artistic talents and gave birth to a son, Ayumu, who later became famous for his own exceptional memory.
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