Alex the African Gray Parrot dies

[Simfish]

http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/09/09/1825206

*sigh*

I called his owner/researcher before. I knew this parrot for years. I google-stalked him. And I always thought he was healthy.

This is emotionally heartbreaking...

 

[Evo]

No, no, no dead animals today.

 

[Astronuc]

RIP, Alex.

My condolensces to you Simfishy, and to all who cared for Alex. My brother and his wife had an African Grey whom they took under care. The bird had been mistreated and had pulled most of his feathers out of his chest. It was sad to see. They at least provided him with a better home.

Unfortunately stress from captivity can lead to premature death for wild animals.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Oh, that's terrible! This is a huge loss for research on animal cognition. And poor Dr. Pepperberg -- I am so sad for her.
:(

 

[turbo]

What a nice bird. I've watched him too, and have been impressed with his cognitive abilities - the concepts of color, relative size, and identification of forms. I'd love to have a gray for a companion, and may hook up with a friend that has one. Hers imitates her phone conversations and those of her husband (whose calls end more frequently with an expletive) and mocks her at inconvenient times. She's a sweetie, and her gray is a charmer.

I've got a friend with a macaw that was ignored and abandoned for years and he plucks his breast feathers in desperation and will nip off a finger in a heartbeat. He laughs, cries, talks (A LOT!) etc, but he is so twisted that he will attack even people who show him love and support.

 

[B. Elliott]

Very sad. Not but two or three days ago I was showing a few family members videos of him and other African Greys. I've considered getting one on and off over the past few years but still a little hesitant to go fourth with it. I want to be able to spend plenty of time with one if i do. How social the Greys are is what attracts me to them... that and I had a few Budgies while growing up.

RIP Alex