Intelligent vs. Intelligible Communication: Lessons from the Forest

Language is often described as the hallmark of human intelligence. But when I think back to my years among the orangutans in Borneo, I’m reminded that communication—true communication—takes many forms, and not all of them require words.

There’s a quiet power in the gestures, glances, and postures exchanged between beings who share a moment of understanding. Yet not all communication is equal. Some is intelligible—clear and easy to interpret—while some is intelligent, showing thought, awareness, and intent.

Intelligible Communication: Being Understood

Intelligible communication is communication that makes sense. It is the ability to convey meaning in a way that can be received and understood.

When a mother orangutan softly grunts to her infant or when I see two males exchange long calls across the forest, the messages are intelligible to those who share that world. “I’m here.” “Stay away.” “It’s safe.”

Likewise, when a human toddler says, “Want banana,” the meaning is clear. Grammar isn’t required for comprehension—intent and shared context are enough.

Clarity, however, doesn’t always equal depth.

Intelligent Communication: Being Aware

Intelligent communication reveals something more profound: the mind behind the message.

When I taught sign language to ex-captive orangutans, I saw evidence of this intelligence every day. One young female, after failing to get my attention with a gesture, changed her strategy—signing again but more emphatically, her eyes fixed on mine. That was not rote behavior; it was problem-solving.

Intelligent communication shows flexibility, learning, and the capacity to anticipate another’s mind. It’s not just being understood—it’s understanding how to be understood.

The Bridge Between Minds

In our world of nonstop messages, posts, and alerts, we’ve become very good at being intelligible—quick, clear, and loud. But we’re losing our intelligence in communication: the patience to listen, the empathy to adapt, the awareness to choose our words or gestures with care.

Orangutans, on the other hand, remind us what intelligent communication looks like in its purest form—measured, mindful, and meaningful. Their interactions are quiet but deliberate. Each look, touch, or sound carries weight.

Perhaps in learning to recognize the intelligence in their communication, we can rediscover some of our own.

Takeaway

 Intelligible communication is about clarity.

 Intelligent communication is about consciousness.

If we want to connect across species—or even among ourselves—we must strive for both.

From the Archives: Princess, the Fruit Connoisseur

 

September 19, 1979 — Camp Leakey, Tanjung Puting, Central Borneo

Some mornings stay with you forever—not because of what you taught, but because of what you were taught.

It was just before 8 a.m., and the guesthouse was still blanketed in that gentle stillness that settles in before the forest fully wakes. I had just begun a morning lesson with Princess, my sign-language-savvy orangutan daughter, when she beat me to the first word.

“Hug up,” she signed with quiet insistence.

I smiled and gave her the hug she asked for. Then she signed again, eyes gleaming with mischief: “You that food.”

Ah. So that was the real motivation behind the hug.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a guava. Before I even asked, Princess confidently signed, “sweet fruit.” Correct. I handed it to her. We repeated this little game with a second guava, and she signed the same phrase again—“fruit sweet”—as if reminding me she already knew the answer and was ready for her reward.

That morning turned into a taste-test of tropical produce. An orange became “drink fruit.” A mango? “Sweet fruit.” When I offered her a watermelon slice, she combined her favorite signs into a new phrase: “drink fruit sweet.”

She was inventing compound words—building her own vocabulary using the signs she already knew.

And when I tried to quiz her with something trickier, like the leaf symbol on a hat, she didn’t hesitate. “Leaf,” she signed, correctly and immediately.

But it wasn’t just language. It was preference, curiosity, humor.

She looked into my pocket after I told her it was empty. She discovered a hidden bag of peanuts and signed, “open food.” I opened it. Of course I did.

She wasn’t just communicating. She was thinking. Classifying. Creating new ideas. Asking. Testing. Trusting.

That morning, Princess wasn’t just a student—I was. And what she taught me, through fruit and signing, was this: Communication isn’t about mastering language. It’s about connection.

And when an orangutan tells you she wants “drink fruit sweet,” you listen.

— Orangutan Dad

Great Apes of Fame: The Orangutans Who Swung Into History (and Our Hearts)

 

Move over, Kardashians. Step aside, royal family. The real icons of the forest—and sometimes the big screen—are red-haired, long-armed, banana-loving superstars we call orangutans. Yes, they may not have Instagram accounts (yet), but their stories have swung across time and inspired scientists, artists, and conservationists alike.

In this blog, we look at a few of the world’s most famous orangutans: the ones who broke barriers, taught us about ourselves, and maybe threw a little poop in the process. 🦧💩

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🌟 1. Ken Allen – The Houdini of San Diego Zoo

Let’s start with Ken Allen, the orangutan escape artist from the San Diego Zoo in the 1980s. Ken didn’t just think outside the box—he escaped it. Repeatedly.

This charming Bornean orangutan used sticks, climbed walls, and once even unscrewed a bolt holding a glass panel. What made Ken special wasn’t just his wits—it was his motivation. He didn’t leave to cause chaos. He just wanted to wander the zoo… and apparently visit other animals.

What We Learned:

• Orangutans are highly intelligent and master problem solvers.

• Zoo staff started dressing up as tourists to catch him in the act. He still outwitted them. (Ken: 3, Zookeepers: 0.)

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🌟 2. Chantek – The Orangutan Who Spoke in Signs

Born in an American research lab and raised in a human-like environment, Chantek learned over 150 signs in American Sign Language, could understand spoken English, and loved going to Taco Bell.

Chantek even referred to himself as "orange chimp," which is hilarious and endearing, although taxonomically suspect.

What We Learned:

• Orangutans have the capacity for self-awareness, planning, and fast food preferences.

• The phrase “talk to the hand” takes on a whole new meaning when it’s coming from an orangutan.

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🌟 3. Sandra – The Legal Person

Sandra was no ordinary orangutan. In 2015, an Argentine court declared Sandra a "non-human person" with legal rights. She didn’t win the right to vote or run for mayor (yet), but it was a historic win for animal rights.

This Sumatran/Bornean hybrid orangutan had spent 20 years in a zoo before being moved to a sanctuary in the U.S., where she now enjoys trees, enrichment activities, and not being treated like a houseplant.

What We Learned:

• Orangutans aren’t just cute; they are sentient beings with emotional depth.

• If a tree falls in the forest and Sandra sees it, she probably files a motion in court.

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🌟 4. Princess – The Signing Swamp Princess

Okay, this one might be slightly less famous globally but legendary in certain conservation circles. Princess was a rescued orangutan in Borneo who learned sign language, lived near the blackwater rivers, and occasionally stole food (and hearts).

Her human companion, a pioneering researcher, claims she had a “fruit stare” so deep it rivaled a Zen master in mid-meditation.

What We Learned:

• Some orangutans seem more mindful than your average yoga instructor.

• With patience, apes can learn to sign, plan, and perhaps judge your snack choices.

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🌟 5. Louie – The King of the Jungle (and Broadway?)

Okay, technically not a real orangutan, but King Louie from Disney’s The Jungle Book was inspired by orangutans, even though his scat-jazz dancing may have been more orangutan-meets-Louis Prima-on-espresso.

Still, King Louie brought orangutan swagger to pop culture, even if he did want to steal the secret of fire (classic primate overreach).

What We Learned:

• Pop culture gives orangutans the stage, but rarely the script rights.

• If orangutans ever start a musical, expect a lot of jungle rhythm and banana-based snacks at intermission.

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🧠 Final Thoughts: What Can We Learn From These Hairy Heroes?

• Think Deeply. Orangutans are contemplative beings. They spend time considering their next move—whether it's foraging for fruit or breaking out of a zoo.

• Live Gently. Unlike their louder cousins (we see you, chimps), orangutans prefer a quiet life. A reminder that peace is powerful.

• Challenge Assumptions. These apes defy expectations: speaking in signs, using tools, and even challenging legal systems. Never underestimate a being with long arms and a longer memory.

• Have Fun. Whether it’s signing “play,” pranking their caretakers, or inventing jungle jazz, orangutans remind us not to take life too seriously.

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So next time you’re stuck in traffic, overwhelmed by emails, or wondering what it all means—ask yourself:

What would Ken Allen do?

Probably climb out the sunroof and go visit the elephants. 🐘

Who's in Control? What Orangutans Taught Me About the Real Power of Communication

When most people think about language, they think about information transfer—sending facts from one brain to another through words, gestures, or signs. That’s how we’re taught to understand it: as a neutral, almost mechanical process of transmitting knowledge. But when I spent several years in the forests of Borneo teaching sign language to orangutans, I began to see communication differently. Not as the exchange of data, but as a subtle—and sometimes not-so-subtle—form of control.

And not me controlling them—often, it was the other way around.