Other Important Apes




RESUME James Brooks Ape and Ape Related Activities 2005-2008 Biography I was born on November 19, 1996. I have one older brother named David and a dog named Scout. For as long as I can remember, I have always loved primates and been fascinated by them. I have always been especially interested in apes. When I was younger, I started watching documentaries about apes and I loved chimpanzees but didn’t like how violent they sometimes were. Then I found out about bonobos and since then they have been the apes I am most dedicated to. I soon learned about the work that Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh did with Kanzi and other bonobos and became even more fascinated. I want to dedicate my life to saving apes and my goal is to someday work at the Great Ape Trust of Iowa and to spend time helping apes in the wild and at Lola Ya Bonobo sanctuary. Here are some of the things I have done over the past two years Publications and Presentations Website www.apeaware.org Guest writing on www.kidssaveapes.org Blog at www.apeaware.blogspot.com Guest article on “Theory of Mind in Apes” at www.bonobokids.com May 20, 2007 Invited guest talk at Byron Somerset Elementary school about Apeaware and ape conservation May 9, 2008 Presentation with Haley Stern of the work of Kids Save Apes to Jane Goodall and 300 other activists at Roots and Shoots Fair, Boston 2007-08 Talks at Kensal Park School about ape awareness and the Democratic Republic of the Congo Summer 2007 presentation on Ring Tailed Lemur through Safari Zoo Camp, Jungle Cat World Schoolwork Whenever I can I do my school projects on apes or the environment. Here are some thngs I have done --I am in a French Immersion program at school which will allow me to become fluent in French. This will be very useful for working in the D.R.C. --Venn diagram on the similarities and differences of bonobos and chimpanzees --An assignment on a “personal hero” that I wrote on Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh --A report on "somebody I admire" that I did on Dr. Duane Rumbaugh --My grade 5 science project was on “Coltan Mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo” --for a social studies project I made an African Dogon rabbit mask and learned about the respect for animals in Dogon culture ---My grade 6 science project is on “Why don’t many people know about the dangers of Palm Oil?” --with help from the Canadian Ape Alliance I arranged for my class to exchange letters wit a school in the D.R.C. --I helped with presentation class about the D.R.C. for the letter exchange --when allowed to add “personal words” to spelling tests, I always add words related to primates --my grade 5 speech was on “Global Warming” --my grade 6 speech was on “My Friend, Kanzi” --I am a member of my schools environment club called “Eco Team” --I join in activities with my school’s “We to Me Club” Other Educational Activities --Each summer I attend zoo camp at a zoo called Jungle Cat World. We learn about looking after animals and do presentations in the area. --I did a “Junior Zookeeper” program at a local park called Storybook Gardens --I visit ape related websites whenever I can --I read ape books --I try to teach my friends and others all I can about apes and to let them know whenever an ape related show is coming on television. --at Cub Scouts I earned my World Conservation Cub badge and earned my "personal interest badge" on Great Ape Awareness --I study the lexigrams used by the bonobos at the Great Ape Trust of Iowa so that I will be able to communicate with them better. --I took guitar lessons because I know the Great Ape Trust bonobos like music --In May I will be giving an invited talk at a friend’s school about Great Ape Conservation and my website --In May I will be giving a presentation at a Roots and Shoots Fair (see KidsSAveApes under organizations) Organizations Great Ape Trust of Iowa --The Great Ape Trust has helped me a lot and I have done many things with them --I have visited twice and met both the bonobos and orangutans --I have met many scientists and caretakers and other staff at the Trust --I email with several friends at the Great Ape Trust --I make videos for the bonobos to watch --I send Christmas and birthday presents to the bonobos --I try to learn all I can about the research they do at the Great Ape Trust --I donate money when I can (see fundraising section) --I participate in the annual Bowling for Apes fundraiser --I gave a brief talk when I went on the Great Ape Trust Tour KidsSaveApes --KidsSaveApes is an organization started by another kid named Haley Stern. Haley is also completely devoted to helping save apes. I began emailing with her and am now “Co-president” of KidsSaveApes. We are trying to get as many kids as possible involved in helping apes, we adopt apes, and we have a petition to stop bushmeat. Our Roots and Shoots group was chosen as one of 15 to present at a Roots and Shoots Fair in Boston in May. Haley and I made the booth together. I have donated to her Fundraiser as well. Canadian Ape Alliance --I joined the Canadian Ape Alliance and have --donated to help support an environmental school --helped arrange a letter exchange with kids in the D.R.C. through my school --kept in touch with the people at the Alliance who are helping apes Lola Ya Bonobo I have adopted a bonobo at Lola Ya Bonobo and keep in touch with them. I hope to be able to do more things to help the sanctuary and to get involved in more education projects with them Roots and Shoots I recently formed my own Roots and Shoots group to go with my website. I have not started getting members yet. I think I will join with the KidsSaveApes Roots and Shoots club. I want to become more involved with Roots and Shoots. BonoboKids Bonobokids is a new organization with the motto “Save the bonobos, save the world” it raises funds and teaches kids about bonobos. It hopes kids can learn about the threats to bonobos and helping us learn from bonobo culture. I have written on their blog and am getting involved with their work. Bonobo Conservation Initiative I have spoken with founder Sally Coxe and we are working on activities I can do to help their work. I am going to write a letter in French and perhaps record a tape for the children of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Animal Communication Initiative I have been in touch with the Animal Communication Initiative and we are thinking of ways for me to get more involved. Zoos I have made friends with caretakers at zoos that have bonobos. So far I have friends at Jacksonville, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Columbus, and Milwaukee. I have visited the bonobos at Cincinnati, Columbus, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park (and Twycross in England) Lolami I have started following the Lolami expedition through their Wildlife Direct blog. I donated to their “Maga Fund” after a tragedy in the family of one of their guides Jungle Cat World Jungle Cat World is a zoo in Ontario where I go to zoo camp each summer. They are very concerned with animal rights and the environment. I was able to do a presentation on Lemurs and to help look after some monkeys. Fundraising and Donations I try to raise money for Ape Awareness whenever I can. My main fundraiser this year is “Bowling for Apes” through the Great Ape Trust of Iowa. I was able to get over 280 sponsors and I raised $4330. --for the past two years I have asked my friends not to give me birthday presents but instead use the money to give donations to the Great Ape Trust of Iowa --I have also asked family members to donate rather than give me Christmas presents. --I have also been able to do a little leaf raking, gardening, and snow shoveling to raise money as well I have donated to the Great Ape Trust of Iowa several times, to the Canadian Ape Alliance, to Lola Ya Bonobo, and to the Lolami Expedition. In total, I have raised and donated over $6 000 and I hope to raise a lot more. Other Environmental Projects I try to do other projects for the environment as well --I have done a speech on global warming and participated in Earth Day and Earth Hour --I completed the Earth Keepers program --I have for the past several years done a Scout Tree Planting program that raises money through sponsorships and we actually plant the trees Social Activism --I participated in the “24 Hour Vow of Silence for Those Who Cannot Speak for Themselves” at my school. The project was to raise money and awareness of human rights abuses. --the day my friend P-Suke the bonobo died, I became a vegetarian --I have dealt with Kelloggs to try to get them to stop using animal products in foods like Pop Tarts --I am going to become more involved in raising awareness about palm oil in foods Website My main project over the past few months has been my website www.apeaware.org. I wanted to make a website for both kids and adults about apes and that the threats they face. Through the website, I have made lots of new friends and learned lots about all the people who are interested in apes and especially bonobos. I have tried to put all the information I could into the website and I have a blog that provides information on other ape related issues. Media Coverage There have been a few stories about me and my work for apes There is a story at the Great Ape Trust Website http://www.greatapetrust.org/media/releases/2007/nr_35a07.php There was a story in the London Free Press on August 24, 2007. This story is no longer available on line There is an entry about me on the Lola Ya Bonobo blog http://lolayabonobo.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/20/bonobo-fan/ Future Plans and Goals Many of my future plans are already outlined above. I want to be much more involved with Roots and Shoots, I met Dr. Jane Goodall and she was very inspiring ; I will be giving a talk about bonobos at a school and I want to give more talks; I want to raise lots of money and get 200 sponsors for Bowling for Apes; I want to do more with KidsSaveApes; I want to help all the other organizations; I want to make new contacts with kids in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and I would like to become involved with the Bonobo Conservation Initiative and the good work they do. Also, I will keep working on my website and letting people know however I can about why we need to PROTECT APES NOW.