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News Koko participates in online Earth Day chat  In honor of the month long celebration of Earth Day, H.E.A.V.E.N., which uses the power of the Net to foster community service and activism, and The EnviroLink Network, the online environmental community, announced on April 20, 1998, the first ever inter-species chat between humans and gorilla to be held on America Online and the Web. Having studied American Sign Language for 25 years, Koko the gorilla has advanced further with language than any other non-human. In this unprecedented event, Koko chatted with denizens worldwide on Monday, April 27 at 7:00pm, EDT.AOL members accessed the chat through America Online and were also able to view a slideshow of Koko during the event. Non-AOL members participated in the live chat by going to The Envirolink Website at www.envirolink.org. During the live chat, Dr. Patterson answered questions directed to her as well as served as Koko's interpreter. Dr. Patterson signed questions posted to Koko who in turn signed responses back to the doctor. Through this rare dialog between humans and a gorilla, event sponsors - H.E.A.V.E.N. and The EnviroLink Network - sought to highlight the advances being made in communicating with non-human primates as well as raise awareness to the plight of gorillas and the threats to their natural habitat in Africa. "Koko helps us learn more about our own humanity and better understand how all living things are connected," said Jenny Hansell, Director of Programming for H.E.A.V.E.N., prior to the event. "H.E.A.V.E.N.'s mission is to help people find ways to make the world better - and talking to Koko will inspire us all to do what we can for the Earth's endangered species." "We're thrilled that our technology has enabled this type of connection with Koko and we're pleased to work with The Gorilla Foundation, EnviroLink and H.E.A.V.E.N.," said Katherine Borsecnik, Vice President of Network Programming for America Online. "This event is providing a once in a lifetime opportunity for millions of AOL members to tap into the knowledge and compassion these foundations and Koko have for saving endangered species." Lowland gorillas, whose natural habitat stretches from Cameroon to Zaire, are critically threatened by expansive logging practices and are alarmingly becoming the target of commercial "bush-meat" hunters who are killing vast numbers of gorillas and other great apes for meat that is considered a highly-prized delicacy for human consumption. Due to human interference in the environment, the cousin to the lowland gorillas - mountain gorillas - now number less than 500. America Online, Inc., based in Dulles, Virginia, is the world's leader in branded interactive services and content. America Online operates two worldwide Internet online services: AOL Interactive Services, with more than 11 million members; and CompuServe, with more than 2 million members. America Online also operates AOL Studios, the world's leading creator of original interactive content. Other branded Internet services operated by America Online include AOL.COM, the world's most accessed Web site from home; AOL Instant Messenger, an instant communication tool available to everyone on both AOL and the Internet; and AOL NetFind, AOL's comprehensive guide to the Internet. H.E.A.V.E.N. (www.hubheaven.org or AOL keyword: Hub Heaven) is a non-profit organization dedicated to Helping Educate, Activate, Volunteer and Empower via the Net. The organization is the largest online aggregator of information on volunteer efforts and opportunities for young adults. H.E.A.V.E.N. seeks to bring about positive social change through a unique mix of innovative initiatives and celebrity involvement joined with vibrant online content that encourages people to "Give As They Live." Through the ANGELS (America's Network of Givers, Educators, Linkers and Servers) program that couples computer training with community service, H.E.A.V.E.N. helps assure that the technological revolution leaves no one behind. The EnviroLink Network (www.envirolink.org or AOL keyword: Envirolink) is the world's largest environmental information service, providing millions of people around the planet with the latest environmental news, information and resources. As of March 1998, the EnviroLink online community consisted of more than 375,000 people visiting the site each day, in over 150 countries on six continents. EnviroLink's services include the EnviroLink News Service, Sustainable Business Network, Green Living Center, EnviroArts Gallery, real-time chats and bulletin boards and the comprehensive EnviroLink Library. Related web sites: Transcript of Koko's Earth Day Chat America Online The EnviroLink Network H.E.A.V.E.N. |
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