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| Liz Pugh demonstrates the lexigram panel to faculty members of the University of Iowa's Articulating the Animal program. |
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Liz Pugh is someone with a very special gift. It is a profound ability to communicate with nonhuman primates – something she does these days through a unique collaboration with seven bonobos living at Great Ape Trust of Iowa. While Liz modestly deflects the praise, her ability to interact and communicate with bonobos has played a most important, and often overlooked, role in science.
Elizabeth Rubert Pugh grew up in a family of seven children in Springfield, Missouri. After studying at Southwest Missouri State University (today’s Missouri State) Liz went to Atlanta, Georgia in 1978 to work with her scientist sister Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh and Dr. Duane Rumbaugh at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center. It was there where she first participated in the collection and generation of scientific data in the cognitive research programs involving chimpanzees – specifically Lana, Sherman and Austin. It was also at Yerkes where Liz met Matata, a young female bonobo who would eventually become the matriarch of the bonobo colony at Great Ape Trust.
“I’ve known Matata for nearly 30 years,” said Liz. “It’s been a long-term relationship and she’s taught me a great deal about bonobos.”
Matata and her adopted son, Kanzi, moved from Yerkes in 1981 to the newly founded Language Research Center at Georgia State University. For nearly a quarter of a century at the LRC, Liz was a scientific partner in some of the world’s most groundbreaking research into the cognitive and communicative capabilities of apes.
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| Liz discussing the bonobo scientific research program this summer with visitors to Great Ape Trust. |
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“Without her assistance, first at Yerkes and then the LRC, the scientific advancements produced the last 30 years could not have taken place,” said Savage-Rumbaugh. “Liz has worked with chimpanzees and bonobos that started with no understanding of language but became extremely competent listeners and speakers. She has created language in minds where there was no competency only potential – her understanding of the route into language is profound.”
Liz’s success in cognitive and linguistic development is attributed to her awareness, through first-hand knowledge, of the intricate steps that adult-offspring bonding and interaction play in this process.
“To develop a bond with the apes, I approached it like raising a child, not working with a research subject,” said Liz. “Mother and child relationships developed and we did things together as you would with your children. The feelings that developed were similar to those with a child – you can’t disconnect from that feeling.”
Her feelings for the bonobos – and theirs for Liz – has grown and strengthened over the years, resulting in special and meaningful relationships. “Simply the way they look at me means so much. Their appreciation and the love they give back are heartwarming.”
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| Liz, Panbanisha and Dr. Sue Sue Savage-Rumbaugh. |
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Liz has collaborated and co-authored a number of scientific articles with Savage-Rumbaugh, who credits Liz’s insight as invaluable to the research. – adding that her unique abilities go well beyond bonobos and chimpanzees.
“Her capacity to assist in the transition from non-language to language can be manifested with great skill with autistic or developmentally challenged children as well as with apes,” adds Savage-Rumbaugh. “This kind of ability, often labeled as ‘good teacher’ or ‘good mother’ is critical to the transmission of cultural behavior in a group.”
Liz brought her role of scientist, collaborator and ‘mother’ to Great Ape Trust in the spring of 2005 when the family of bonobos moved to Des Moines from Georgia State University. Her patience and expertise in ape care were instrumental in making a smooth and successful transition for the bonobos and the scientific staff.
“The move to Great Ape Trust was the best thing that ever happened,” Liz said. When Kanzi went in the outdoor play area for the first time, he had such a happy look on his face – it made me feel like crying.”
The challenges and difficulties faced with establishing the new scientific facility – often with new staff members – were minimized with Liz’s leadership and mentoring skills.
“Insights through collaboration with apes is a scientific foundation at Great Ape Trust – that environment has provided Liz ideal opportunities to transfer her knowledge of apes to individual staff members and visiting scientific colleagues,” said Savage-Rumbaugh. “Liz understands that the challenge is to get people to discard their traditional view of apes as nonhuman and to see that everything they’ve learned about being human has a counterpart in bonobo society. That can’t be taught but it can be experienced.”
As someone who admits she learns something new each day from the bonobos, Liz now passes along her experiences to others. This past summer, Liz became an integral part in Great Ape Trust’s public visitation program by introducing guests to the bonobo research facility, the science and the ape residents.
“I hope when people come to visit and look into the eyes of a bonobo, they see a bright mind looking back – talking to them,” Liz said. “At Great Ape Trust, we have a responsibility to educate the world about bonobos and the other great apes and the importance of saving them.”
Whether it’s educating the public, collaborating on scientific research or communicating with nonhuman primates, Liz Pugh is comfortable in her role of ‘mother’ and providing an honorable home for the bonobos.
“I think of a bright future for the bonobos and a wonderful life and isn’t that what you always want for your children?”
Great Ape Trust Background
When completed, Great Ape Trust will be the largest great ape facility in North America and one of the first worldwide to include all four types of great ape – bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans – for noninvasive interdisciplinary studies of their cognitive and communicative capabilities.
Great Ape Trust is dedicated to providing sanctuary and an honorable life for great apes, studying the intelligence of great apes, advancing conservation of great apes and providing unique educational experiences about great apes. Great Ape Trust of Iowa is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization and is certified by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). |
Great Ape Trust is certified by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums
