RIP "Koko", your sign language skills enlightened us all
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RIP "Koko", your sign language skills enlightened us all
Koko is introduced to a kitten by Francine Patterson, who taught the gorilla to use sign language. (PBS) Photo: Associated Press
By Matt Keller WOODSIDE, Calif. (KGO) — The world is remembering Koko, the famous gorilla who lived in the Bay Area. She died in her sleep Tuesday at the age of 46 at her home in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The Gorilla Foundation says her ability to use sign language to communicate with humans demonstrated the species’ emotional capacity and made a huge impact.
Koko brought joy to many people, including celebrities like Flea, the bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
RELATED: Koko the gorilla somber after Robin Williams’ death
“Coco, you’re a very curious gorilla,” Flea once said.
Robin Williams also had a big impact on Koko.
Koko’s handlers said at that time, she hadn’t smiled in six months since her lifelong partner passed away. Williams made her smile.
The two joked and wrestled, even got into a tickling fight.
The foundation said Koko expressed sadness after her handlers explained Williams had died in 2014. The western lowland gorilla was born on July 4, 1971 at the San Francisco Zoo.
In 1972, Dr. Penny Patterson started teaching Koko sign language and eventually established The Gorilla Foundation and moved to the Santa Cruz Mountains.
With Penny’s help, Koko learned to use over 1,000 signs and seemed to understand approximately 2,000 spoken English words.
The Gorilla Foundation released a statement overnight, saying, “Koko touched the lives of millions as an ambassador for all gorillas and an icon for interspecies communication and empathy. She was beloved and will be deeply missed.”
For general inquiries and condolences, please email [email protected].
Credit: ABC7.com