Dear Friend,

In the above video, we share a short story told through four clips from three different videos all centered on one unforgettable object: Koko’s giant red ball. 

First, you’ll see pure gorilla joy as Koko bounces and balances on the ball, testing her body and the ball’s movement at the same time.

Next, she plays with it in a new way, tossing it up and smiling as it comes back down.

Then the story takes a turn. The big red ball is suddenly flat.

I show it to Koko and ask a simple question: what happened?

Koko doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she appears to redirect signing “that red” about the ball and then her signs shift into something that feels like accountability and a clear explanation: “bite.”

Koko uses language not just to name what she sees, but to navigate a social moment to avoid, to express feeling, and then to admit what she did.

Thank you for joining us in our efforts to understand gorillas with care, respect, and curiosity.

With Koko-Love,

Penny Patterson
President, CEO and Founder
The Gorilla Foundation / koko.org

Conservation through Communication

so that Koko’s legacy can live on — protecting gorillas in Africa
and giving them a voice worldwide.

The Gorilla Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Our Federal Tax ID is: 942-38-6151