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Oct 6, 2009 |
Koko Bonds with a New Kitten (?) |
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Every once in a while Koko entertains a visit from a brood of young kittens in need of a home (usually from the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA). These days, Koko has been so focused on her 3 wishes (the new preserve, a baby, and saving her species) that she hasn’t been too receptive to a new kitten.
However, there was one little orange and white kitten, named Tigger, who came to visit recently that really got Koko’s attention and affections. Will Koko adopt a new kitten? Will this help her express her maternal instincts while waiting to adopt a gorilla baby? Koko's initial response to whether Tigger was to be: a) a keeper or b) a visitor? Answer: b. Perhaps next time a kitten will come to stay. (We'll keep you posted.)
A special thanks to the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA located in San Mateo, CA for allowing us to bring this litter of kittens to Koko to visit for the day. Koko's favorite, Tigger, was only 5 weeks old at the time of the visit. |
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Aug 30, 2009 |
Koko Kisses Her Baby (Doll) |
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Koko perches outside on a large plastic ball, perfectly balanced, with one of her favorite dolls, Water Baby, whom she kisses gently. Koko has been sending us not-so-subtle messages for quite some time now that she is ready to be a dedicated gorilla mom. |
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Jul 6, 2009 |
In the presents of Koko |
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Koko loves opening her birthday presents. She has very simple tastes: colorful pillows, blankets, special DVDs and toys, and of course foods and drinks. Penny (Dr. Patterson) takes care of her special birthday food requests by allowing her to select a few from various menus. This year, Koko selected a vegetarian curry tofu dish among other main courses.
Stay tuned to Koko's Birthday Section of this website (Koko.org) for a more complete set of birthday photos and video clips from Koko's 38th birthday, celebrated on July 4th, 2009 and beyond. In the meantime, you can get in the spirit by viewing some samples from last year's birthday celebration, by clicking here. |
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Jun 7, 2009 |
Koko Imitates a Painting |
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There's more than meets the eye to this image within an image. Please stay tuned to KokoPix this week (June 8-12) as we'll be adding the "rest of the story." Thanks for your patience and delaying your gratification until we can confirm the observational data associated with this KokoPic. |
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May 11, 2009 |
Koko's 3 Wishes . . . |
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Lately, it's become apparent that Koko has 3 major wishes in life:
1) to have a baby of her own (to "chat" with)
2) to move to the new Maui Ape Preserve (with other gorillas)
3) for humans to become more polite (to each other as well as gorillas)
It will take a real leap in human evolution for all 3 of these wishes to be realized (especially the last one). Are we up to it?
Thank you for your support in this Year of the Gorilla!
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May 2, 2009 |
Koko's Special Easter Brunch |
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We'd all be a lot healthier if we ate a diet like Koko's. In fact, we're thinking of publishing a cookbook entitled "Koko's Kitchen" so that everyone can "eat like a gorilla" every once in a while. Thank you to all of the caregivers, volunteers, grocery stores and supporters who help us make Koko and Ndume's meals so nutritious. (If you're wondering what she's munching on, it's a gluten-free waffle made by Penny.) |
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Feb 26, 2009 |
Koko likes raw pumpkins, and roasted pumpkin seeds |
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Here Koko is sitting out in the yard eating a raw pumpkin. Note that she doesn’t like the raw seeds (she spits them out). However, she loves to eat roasted pumpkin seeds, which the caregivers often prepare for her as a special treat. |
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Jan 12, 2009 |
Koko says the "time" is now |
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When Koko points to her wrist (the ASL sign for “time”) her caregivers know there’s something on her or their “todo” list that needs attention. It might be opening the gate to her outdoor habitat, or bringing one of her meals, or some promised treat or activity. Koko always knows when it’s time — even without a wrist watch — a trait that humans may have inherited from our common ancestor a long time ago. |
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Nov 29, 2008 |
I See You, Can You See Me? |
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Koko has been using mirrors since she was a baby (even though at that time, it was thought by some that only humans could recognize themselves in mirrors). Here she is shown using the mirror to look at her photographer, Dr. Ron Cohn, who is fortunate enough to get a double image of Koko's eyes. |
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Nov 17, 2008 |
Ndume Naps after Opening a Few Too Many Presents |
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Here’s one from Ndume’s Christmas collection It sums it all up. Ndume was so excited about his party that he needed a good nap after opening his presents. Guess the caregivers and generous supporters succeeded at their goal: pure contentment for Koko's silverback companion. |
