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Re: Alex died
Posted by Matt B on 9/13/07

On 9/13/07, RickAnal wrote:
> On 9/11/07, Marilyn wrote:
>> I heard today that Alex, the African Gray from the
>> University of Arizona (I think that's right) passed away.
>> I feel like I lost a friend. His human co-workers found
>> him dead in his cage on Thursday but didn't let word out
>> until today so they would have time to grieve. Over 30
>> years, Alex taught his researchers (and friends) much of
>> what's known about avian brain and thought potential. I
>> haven't written on a parrot chat board for years even
>> though I have two Amazon parrots I love dearly. I will
>> miss knowing Alex is around and wanted to share that with
>> people who might miss him too.
>
> Dr. Pepperberg did some awesome work, but it was at Alex's
> expense. Alex was never a colleague but an involuntary
> laboratory subject who was relentless tested and probe for
> over 30 years. Pepperberg's academic training was not from
> the humanistic sciences but from chemistry. She apparently
> lacked the empathy to grasp the injustice of her exploiting
> Alex to advance her own career. Alex both visibly and
> verbally demonstrated not boredom but severe stress responses
> to his 8-12 hour per day relentless training and testing by
> Dr. P and her helpers. I hoped and prayed that one day she
> would allow Alex to experience a few years of a normal life
> with a human or parrot companion but his life was cut short
by
> around 50&37;. Alex, I believe, died because he just
couldn't
> take his servitude any longer. I suspect some sort of
aneurism
> in his brain/stroke. The Humane Society should review Dr.
> Pepperberg's laboratory practices along with other scientists
> who study highly intelligent non-humans. Certainly Alex, the
> Einstein of the bird world should have had rights that a
> minimum apply to the lowest paid and least educated menial
> workers in the US--such as limits on how many hours a day he
> can be worked with, mand@ory breaks, vacation time, etc.
> Let's hope Griffin and Wort, who have less than a fifth of
> Alex's IQ, are treated with greater compassion and humanity.

---------------------

""""""his 8-12 hour per day relentless training and testing by
> Dr. P and her helpers."""""""

three 20 minute sessions per day---5 days a week


""""""such as limits on how many hours a day he
> can be worked with, mand@ory breaks, vacation time, etc."""""

SO, and just how did you come to this conclusion? Got an in
somewhere?? Be careful how you answer. I doubt that you really
want to be also embarrassed after making such an anal/ass out
of yourself.

Posts on this thread, including this one

• Alex died, 9/11/07, by Marilyn.
• Re: Alex died, 9/11/07, by Mickie.
• Re: Alex died, 9/13/07, by RickAnal.
• Re: Alex died, 9/13/07, by Matt B.
• Re: Alex died, 9/13/07, by Tempest.
• Re: Alex died, 9/14/07, by karen.
• Re: Alex died, 9/14/07, by AJS.
• Re: Alex died, 9/14/07, by To Rick.
• Re: Alex died, 9/15/07, by ljhassell.