HOOVER (SEAL)

'Hoover' (1971? — July 25, 1985) is the name of a harbor seal that was able to imitate basic human speech.^[2]
He was found in Harpswell, Maine by George and Alice Swallow in 1971 who brought him home. When Hoover outgrew the bathtub, he was transferred to the pond outside their house where he began to imitate George. Again he was moved, this time to the New England Aquarium, where he told visitors to "Get outta here!" in a thick, slightly drunken New England accent. ^[3]
Thanks to this, he became the world's most famous seal and he appeared in world-renowned publications like Reader's Digest and The New Yorker and television programs like Good Morning America.^[4]
Hoover died on July 25, 1985 due to complications during his annual molt.¹ None of his six pups (daughters Joey, Amelia and Trumpet and sons Lucifer, Cinder and Spark)¹ have their father's gift, but grandson Chacoda (or "Chucky") has shown an ability to be guided in his vocalizations and is currently learning to say "how are you".^[5] After his death, he got an obituary in ''The Boston Globe''.³

Contents

See also

References

See also

★ Talking animal

★ Gef the talking mongoose

★ Koko, the gorilla that knows American Sign Language

★ Mister Ed, the fictional talking horse

References

1. Hoover Will Talk No More; A Delight To Thousands, Aquarium Seal Dies At Age 14 Patricia A. Currier
2. The evolution of speech: a comparative review, , W. Tecumseh, Fitch, Trends in Cognitive Sciences,
3. The Smartest City on the Planet
4. Biographical details for Hoover at the website for the New England Aquarium (accessed December 14, 2006).
5. Ask the Globe