Conservationists at the Atlanta Zoo are using computer games to gather research data on orangutans beginning, one would presume, by asking "a/s/l?" Kidding. The computers, which are fashioned to look like trees and blend into the primates' habitat, play various games including one that rewards the orangutan with a treat if it touches the picture of the orangutan on the screen.
According to Dr. Tara Stoinski, who is THE chick in primatology these days, there's very little data on orangutans at the moment, and teaching the primates to use computers will make it easier to gather objective information. Next step? Getting them to play Bejeweled.
Tree Computer to Help Orangutans Learn [The Denver Channel]