Dear Friend,
In the above video we see a glimpse into Kokoโs early life at the San Francisco Zoo in 1973, when she was only two years old.
Koko had unusual freedoms not afforded to other zoo animals โ she could explore beyond the confines of a single enclosure.ย A typical day for young Koko included cuddling with me, visiting other animals like a tortoise, and spending time with her caregivers.ย
Learning sign language was naturally woven into her daily activities, with moments like Koko signing for food or using her own gesture for โgive me.โ
Her life also included being displayed to zoo visitors while in the nursery, a reminder of the unusual circumstances she grew up in. Kokoโs life motivates us to create more natural and nurturing settings for gorillas today.
Kokoโs story teaches us how deeply gorillas can learn, feel, and connect when given opportunities for communication and care. But her upbringing was unique, and we believe gorillas should grow up with their natural gorilla families โ with freedom and autonomy โ not in a captive setting.
With Koko-Love,
Dr. 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
With your gift, Kokoโs legacy lives on โ protecting gorillas in Africa
and giving them a voice worldwide.
!
