Koko, the beloved gorilla that learned sign language, has died
The primate that became a celebrity for her ability to communicate was 46
Koko, the western lowland gorilla that learned to communicate with humans and then stole their hearts, has died.
The Gorilla Foundation said that the 46-year-old celebrity ape died in her sleep this week at the organisation’s preserve in northern California. The foundation, a non-profit group that works to protect the species and their habitats, said in a statement that Koko would be remembered “as the primary ambassador for her endangered species”.
“Koko touched the lives of millions as an ambassador for all gorillas and an icon for interspecies communication and empathy,” the statement said. “She was beloved and will be deeply missed.”
The gorilla was born at the San Francisco Zoo on Independence Day in 1971 and officially named Hanabi-ko, which means “fireworks child” in Japanese, although she was mostly known by her nickname, Koko, according to the foundation.
It was in San Francisco where the newborn gorilla met a budding animal psychologist, Francine Patterson. By the next year, Patterson had started teaching Koko an adapted version of American Sign Language, which she called “Gorilla Sign Language”, or GSL.
Video footage from that time shows Patterson playing games with the baby gorilla and teaching her how to sign.
