Alex & Me

Animals can have a transformative effect on humans and provide useful insights.

Dr. Irene Pepperberg had already conducted decades worth of research into animal learning before she truly understood just how profound an impact animals have had on the lives of so many people.

From personal experience, she knew that animals could hold an important place in someone’s heart.

As a lonely child, with no siblings, an emotionally cold mother and a preoccupied father, she was thrilled when she received her very first bird at just four years old. The pet parrot was a gift, but for her it was also a constant friendly companion that profoundly impacted her sense of self.

Together they would talk and play games, using simple objects like buttons. Though she obviously didn’t know it at the time, all these activities were a precursor for her later experiments with other parrots, including Alex, a research bird that entered her life years later.

Alex is an incredibly talented African Grey Parrot, and as the subject of Dr. Pepperberg’s groundbreaking research he became a superstar in the hearts of millions of animal lovers. He also proved just how inspiring animals can be, as well as how helpful they are in allowing humans to better understand themselves.

Alex has received thousands of letters from bird enthusiasts, schoolchildren, media personalities and fellow scientists.

One especially touching letter came from Karen Grahame, a fan who’d been sending monthly $10 checks to The Alex Foundation for years. She wrote about how Alex’s “miraculous” learning was such an inspiration that it helped her persevere through the difficult medical procedures she needed to fix an arrhythmia in her heart. By following the challenges and triumphs that Alex underwent, Grahame was able to see her own challenges from a less daunting perspective.

Indeed, Alex’s ability to rise to whatever challenges Dr. Pepperberg presented him with has inspired legions of fans from all walks of life.

So let’s have a look at the remarkable achievements that have made Alex and Dr. Pepperberg so admired.