Thank you for being by our side as we’ve all gone through the difficult transition of relocating Ndume to the Cincinnati Zoo after his having lived here at the Gorilla Foundation for 27 years. It’s been almost 2 months since he left, and his most beloved and dedicated Gorilla Foundation caregivers have been with him every step of the way. Because of your support, two of his caregivers were with him during the first 2 weeks, and one is staying with him for the full 2 months to help him adapt.
Ndume at The Gorilla Foundation, Pre-Transfer
Following some initial challenges, Ndume seems to be doing well. However, there remain some significant challenges ahead, including introductions to other gorillas, getting used to zoo visitors, and having to say goodbye to his favorite Gorilla Foundation caregiver for good. We are all doing our best to help him thrive and thank the Cincinnati Zoo for allowing us to be an integral part of the process. We will continue to remain especially vigilant and provide Ndume with whatever support he needs. Your continued support will help with the extra caregiver expenses such as travel and accommodations while in Cincinnati.
Although we all are heartbroken at seeing Ndume leave our sanctuary home, he will always be in our hearts and our wish is for his continued happiness.
Now, moving forward, we must do more than “wish” as we continue our work for him and other members of his species. Together, we must take action to help protect critically endangered free-living gorillas from poaching, disease, and habitat loss as well as helping ensure that their captive counterparts in zoos aren’t misunderstood.
The Future of Interspecies Communication
As a long-time supporter of the Gorilla Foundation, you know that we have shown that interspecies communication is a powerful way for humans to realize that other species are not very different from our own and that this engenders understanding, compassion and protection.
So, I am thrilled to share with you that I recently participated in the first “Interspecies Internet Workshop,” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and was invigorated to engage with a network of 30 like-minded colleagues and advocates working to broaden the connections between all species, including humans. Their experience ranged from great apes, to elephants, dolphins, parrots, dogs and fish — with a common goal of leveraging Internet technology and each other’s experience.
Penny Presenting at the Interspecies Internet Workshop
(hosted by MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, Google, and the Jeremy Coller Foundation; shown l-r are Peter Gabriel, Britt Selvitelle, Patricia Gray, Roger Payne and Penny)
The participants seemed to agree on the extraordinary potential of interspecies communication for conservation, captive care, scientific understanding, and improved interspecies relations through increased empathy. Following is a glimpse of my presentation:
A Peek into the Extraordinary World Opened Up by Koko
I also made the following two key recommendations to the workshop audience, which I believe were supported by most of the attendees,
Recommendation 1:Enhance Ways for Humans and Gorillas to Communicate. Communicating with great apes can be easy, fun and mutually enriching. There are many different ways to communicate, from natural gestures, to sign language, language cards, stories, art, music, technology and more. All gorillas have the same natural capacity; all they need is the opportunity to express it and be understood.
Recommendation 2: Demonstrate the Benefits of Two-Way Communication.
In order for institutions that house great apes to be motivated to employ interspecies communication, they must see the benefits — to the individual great apes, caregivers, the general public, and endangered species. This requires being open to the recognition of great ape intelligence, emotional sensitivity, individual differences and empathy as assets that enrich the lives of all concerned,
A New Path Forward for Gorillas
With colleagues like those at the Interspecies Internet Workshop, and supporters like you by our side, we can redouble our efforts to extend Koko’s Legacy and help her species and ours realize the profound and sustainable benefits of interspecies communication. As the pioneer in interspecies communication with gorillas, The Gorilla Foundation is optimally positioned to do this — by applying our core strengths to provide: Tools, Training, Data, and Sanctuary, as summarized in the following chart:
The Gorilla Foundation's Strategic Plan to Help Gorillas
These assets collectively represent the culmination of a half-century of interspecies exploration, made possible by you, dear member, and three wonderful gorillas, Koko, Michael and Ndume, and with your continued support, we can bring them to fruition.
For example, the “Koko Signing App” (now a prototype) can become the portal for delivering all of our interspecies communication content and educational materials — including the new children’s book, A Wish for Koko — to everyone from children to caregivers, visitors, poachers, protectors, researchers and even captive gorillas and other great apes — from here to Africa! By delivering these assets, Koko’s Legacy will have the power to engage the world community in compassionate conservation through communication.
How You Can Help
Just imagine… if humans and gorillas continue “talking” with each other, human empathy towards gorillas will increase and ultimately save them from the poacher’s rifle and extinction. It will also make gorillas’ lives more self-directed, even joyful, in captivity (which has been our direct experience with Koko, Michael and Ndume), and inspire children worldwide to be more conservation-minded (as evidenced by the countless kids’ and teachers’ letters we receive).
When you donate today not only will you be enabling us to continue our 5-decade mission to save our closest living species, you will also receive a copy of our powerful new children's book and educational tool, A Wish for Koko, as a thank-you gift:
One early review of the book: I finally found some time to read the children's book, "A Wish for Koko," and I was so touched by it. Such a wonderful tribute to Koko! I look forward to your continued work helping gorillas, as they are such amazing beings! — M. Callahan
Dr. Penny Patterson
President and Research Director
The Gorilla Foundation / koko.org
PS: Our wish for Koko is for everyone to recognize that "all gorillas are Kokos"
— to be appreciated and cherished as much as she was and will always be!
