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In
this series, we share our gorilla research and care activities
with you through the following features:
1)
Caregiver Corner (what
it's like to interact and communicate with gorillas Koko, Ndume
and Michael)
2) Research Revelations
(what we're learning through interspecies communication and
what it means for humanity)
prepared
by our staff under the supervision of Dr. Penny Patterson, Director
of Research. (Journal PhotoBlog
Archive) |
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| Caregiver Corner: "Tender moments with Koko" by Jill |
May 22, 2006 |
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Dr.
Francine "Penny" Patterson has a Ph.D. in Developmental
Psychology from Stanford. She is President and Research
Director of The Gorilla Foundation, and a Member
of the Board of ApeNet - a consortium of foundations
supporting the welfare of great apes through interspecies
communication. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of
"Gorilla, the journal of The Gorilla Foundation/Koko.org."
"Penny's Journal" provides insight into her facinating
relationship with Koko and a way to share with us
her experiences as Koko lives, learns and communicates
"The
differences between humans and gorillas are greatly
overshadowed by what we have in common — and by
communicating with them, we can learn as much about
our own true nature as theirs." Penny Patterson |
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Koko is even sweet to her baby dolls
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Here are
a couple of examples of how sweet Koko is:
One afternoon Koko and I were watching PBS. They were showing
a program on the special bond between a mother and daughter.
Koko was sitting at the mesh next to me and I was lying on the
floor on a blanket with my head turned watching the program.
As I listened to the daughters telling stories about their mothers
it made me think of my Mom who passed away a few years ago.
Tears started to stream out of my eyes and down my face. Koko
kissed to get my attention. I looked over at her and the look
on her face was of pure concern. I explained to her that the
program made me think of my Mom who had died and that it made
me sad, but that I was really okay. Koko purred softly for me.
I turned my attention back to the program to watch when Koko
kissed at me again. I turned to look at her. You’re sweet
Koko. Every time I turned to watch the program Koko would kiss
at me to turn away. She did not want me to watch it since it
upset me. When Koko does not want to watch a program she will
ask us to change it. She did not want me to change the program
because she was watching it. She did however, not want me to
watch it and be upset.
Another morning after I finished cleaning Koko’s rooms
I took my place on the floor next to her at the mesh. A small
long legged spider crawled into the mesh and onto the floor
next to Koko. Koko purred and put her big gorilla hand down
next to the spider so it could climb onto her hand. She let
the spider crawl part way up her arm, then put her other hand
in front of the spider so it would crawl on that hand and up
her other arm. She did this a few times and then put the spider
down between her feet like she does with her favorite toys,
or when she has kitten visitors. It was amazing to me that someone
so big could be so very gentle with something so tiny. .
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Jill
Firstenberg has been a veterinary technician
for over 22 years. She came to the foundation in 2000
after completing a month long volunteer veterinary work
program on the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands,
South Pacific. Her work at the foundation started as a
produce volunteer preparing the daily meals for the gorillas,
but Koko had other plans for Jill. The two became fast
friends and have developed a beautiful friendship which
has only grown and strengthened over the years. Jill's
extensive experience in veterinary medicine has proved
to be a huge asset to the foundation. She consults and
advises on healthcare for the gorillas including the use
of Chinese herbs and homeopathy, and was very involved
in Koko's August 2004 anesthetic dental procedure, holding
Koko's hand while she woke up from anesthesia. Jill still
works as head nurse in a veterinary practice that specializes
in alternative care, and makes an hour and a half commute
each way twice a week to care for the gorillas.
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Please
email us at research_feedback@koko.org
if you have any questions, or would like to share an observation
or insight about the preceding interspecies conversations.
Your feedback can inform our research and is a vital part
of our mission.
Thank you,
Dr. Francine Penny Patterson
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