Dear Friend,

What a joy it was to see Koko connect words to what she sees and loves!
In this video (2001), I held up the paper with the words “Cat” and “Kitten,” she knew exactly which one fit the photo.

Then we moved on to something she never tired of discussing: Food.
I wrote out a list of favorites, and Koko went straight for “Nut Sandwich” (peanut butter and bread), then pointed to “Best.”

When I asked what her second favorite might be, she signed “Fruit,” and then pointed to “Best” again.

Koko knows her own mind — and she wants to make sure you really understand it.

These moments remind us how deeply gorillas can understand and express themselves.

Can’t wait for you to watch!

With Koko-Love,

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

Conservation through Communication

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Our Federal Tax ID is: 942-38-6151