Moja (chimpanzee)

Moja

Species	chimpanzee
Sex	female
Born	Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP)
Known for	the first ape to paint figurative works

Moja (Swahili: "one") was a chimpanzee at the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute.^[1] She was born at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP).^[2] In infanthood Moja was treated in a similar way to a child, and immersed in an environment of American Sign Language.^[3]

While engaging in play activities, she was observed changing her appearance in the presence of a mirror using clothing, masks and make-up. She was also observed to place sunglasses upon her head, look into a mirror and make the sign-language sign for "glasses" on one occasion, also using the mirror for the application of lip-gloss and a crayon for the same purpose.^[4]

Moja is known as "the first ape to paint figurative works." For example, she drew a circle, colored it orange, and signed cherry.^[5]

See also

• List of individual apes

References

1. About Friends of Washoe Archived 2012-01-19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2012-01-23
2. Moja's biography Archived 2012-01-01 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2012-01-23
3. CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY - references 20 studies Copyright 2004-2009 Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute Archived 2012-04-18 at the Wayback Machine
4. Robert W. Mitchell, 2002 - Pretending and imagination in animals and children - 370 pages Cambridge University Press, 21 Feb 2002 Retrieved 2012-01-23ISBN 0521770300
5. Herzfeld, Chris (2017). The great apes : a short history. Kevin Frey, Jane Goodall. New Haven. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-300-22137-4. OCLC 982651819.