Just before he died, Alex and Dr. Pepperberg were working on a project on optical illusions, to see if he saw the world as we do. During the few tests she was able to conduct before his death, it seemed that he did. Though we will never know Alex's full potential, he has definitely left an extraordinary legacy.
“You be good, I love you” were the final words Alex would ever say to Dr. Pepperberg. The news of Alex's death spread across the world. Obituaries appearing in all forms of the media, such as: The Economist, The New York Times, Good Morning America (see Alex at work on this video). Though the first few days after Alex died is still a blur for the author, she now has begun to see the impact that she and Alex had on the world.
I want to offer a personal thank you to Dr. Pepperberg and Alex. I've been involved in animal rescue for several years; parrots are among my menagerie. I believe the work Dr. Pepperberg did with Alex, and continues to do with her other African greys, will lead to more respect for our feathered friends and fewer will be in need of rescue.
Alex & Me is a very personal account of a brave woman's journey into the scientific unknown. Accomplishments and losses are mixed with some genuinely touching exchanges between a devoted scientist and her feathered “colleague”. The story is unlike anything you will ever read, and one so remarkable that it will remain with you.
Those interested in a more in-depth information about Dr. Pepperberg's research methods can do so in her first book, The Alex Studies.
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