Moja (chimpanzee)
| Other name | Swahili: "one" |
|---|---|
| Species | Chimpanzee |
| Sex | Female |
| Born | November 18, 1972 Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) |
| Died | June 6, 2002 (Aged 29) |
| Known for | the first ape to paint figurative works |
Moja (Swahili: "one"; November 18, 1972 - June 6, 2002) 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 used in a science experiment by Allen and Beatrix Gardner, who raised her like a human child immersed in an environment of American Sign Language.[3] She was later taken in by Roger and Deborah Fouts, who brought Moja and other chimps involved in the sign language experiments — Washoe and her son Loulis, Dar, and Tatu — to Central Washington University.[4]
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.[5]
Moja is known as "the first ape to paint figurative works." For example, she drew a circle, colored it orange, and signed cherry.[6]
She had a fear of metal ice cube tray dividers, which her fellow chimp Tatu would taunt her with.[4]
Death
Moja died on June 6, 2002 at CHCI of a severe hernia at the age of 29.[7]
See also
References
- ^ About Friends of Washoe Archived 2012-01-19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2012-01-23
- ^ Moja's biography Archived 2012-01-01 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2012-01-23
- ^ CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY - references 20 studies Copyright 2004-2009 Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute Archived 2012-04-18 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Kovac, Adam (February 20, 2026). "Meet Tatu and Loulis—the last of the 'talking' chimpanzees". National Geographic. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Robert W. Mitchell, 2002 - Pretending and imagination in animals and children - 370 pages Cambridge University Press, 21 Feb 2002 Retrieved 2012-01-23ISBN 0521770300
- ^ 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.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Moja". Friends of Washoe. Retrieved December 19, 2025.