Knuckles The Chimpanzee

At right is a photo of two chimpanzees. The one standing is Knuckles, he's seven years old and he has cerebral palsy, a serious neurological disorder that affects the brain and muscles. In "Almost Human, and Sometimes Smarter," New York Times writer John Noble Wilford shares the touching behavior of our closest relatives, the Chimpanzee family.

"Devyn Carter of Emory described the sympathetic response to a chimp named Knuckles, who was afflicted with cerebral palsy. No fellow chimp was seen to take advantage of his disability. Even the alpha male gently groomed Knuckles."

Do apes have empathy? Does Knuckles' baby-like behavior cause other apes to treat him like a baby? Is the answer a little of both? Perhaps a more essential understanding comes from pondering this: What does this brief story of caring mean for you?

More on Knuckles:

Wilford: Almost Human, and Sometimes Smarter - iraqwarit
Observed in the wild and tested in captivity, chimpanzees invite comparison with humans, their close relatives. They bear a family resemblance that fascinates people, and scientists see increasing evidence of similarities in chimp behavior and skills, making some of them think on the vagaries of evolution. (The original Times Select story can be found here.)

Empathy for one's fellow chimp: Experts now think the apes may relate to each other in very human ways - Chicago Tribune
Normally, older chimps would put on intimidating displays with a juvenile male such as Knuckles, screaming, grabbing and biting the youngster to put him in his place.

Knuckles born October 3, 1999 - Center for Orangutan and Chimpanzee Conservation
In some ways, Knuckles is a typical five-year-old chimpanzee, a non-stop bundle of energy who is playful, affectionate, and eager to participate in the world around him. He recognizes familiar faces and voices and appropriately "food-barks" happily when he’s eating his favorite foods.

And something lighter, about a chimp named Judy:

Monkey Business At Little Rock Zoo - Today's THV
It took a couple of tries, but the zoo sedated the chimp, who fell asleep on top of the refrigerator with half a loaf of cinnamon-raisin bread she had pulled out of the freezer.