Dear Friend,
One day I brought Koko a fruit she had never seen before: a Buddhaโs Hand, a wonderfully fragrant citrus fruit that looks like a cluster of yellow fingers. In the above video you can see her response.
She looked it over and signed โflower,โ an interesting response to a fruit known for its strong, almost floral fragrance.
But before eating it herself, Koko wanted me to taste it. She handed me a small piece and watched as I put it in my mouth.
As she explored it, Koko smelled it and offered several more signs: โcandy,โ โsmell,โ โtaste,โ and eventually โlemon lollipop.โ
I loved watching Koko encounter something unfamiliar. She didnโt simply accept or reject it. She examined it, gathered information, and related it to things she already knew.
She was also very sweet in this video, which is one reason I wanted to share it. Watch the video and see for yourself how Koko reacted to this very unusual fruit.
With Koko love,
Penny Patterson
President, CEO and Founder
The Gorilla Foundation / koko.org
Conservation through Communication
The Gorilla Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Our Federal Tax ID is: 942-38-6151
