Orangutans go bananas over video games

ATLANTA (AP) — Bernas and his mother, Madu, are going ape over their new video games. No wonder.

They're Sumatran orangutans at Zoo Atlanta. The orangutans play on a touch screen built into a tree-like structure in their habitat. Volunteers from IBM worked nearly 500 hours developing the games. Correct answers mean food pellets for the apes.

They also have a painting program and draw by moving their hands or feet over the screen. Researchers say data from the games will help them study the animals' memory, reasoning and learning abilities.

Zoo officials also hope visitors will get a better understanding of the orangutans' intelligence and the plight of the dwindling species.