Koko Dies at 46, The Gorilla Who Mastered Sign Language

Published on 06/25/2018
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Koko was an incredible western lowland gorilla which had the ability to display human-like behavior and communicate in American Sign Language. Koko very recently died at age 46. Koko’s life was more important than anyone ever thought. Read on to find out why:

Koko

Koko is arguably the most significant animal to date in recent years. She was “the gorilla that understands 2,000 words and can sign 1,000 of them.” She made an everlasting impact on the scientific community and humanity. Her life led to new revelations about animal empathy and communication.

Koko

Koko

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Hanabi-Ko “Koko”

Koko’s full name was Hanabi-ko which is Japanese for “fireworks child.” Her name comes from her birthdate which is actually on American independence day: July 4. She was born in 1971 and since a young age she was called “Koko.”

Hanabi Ko Koko

Hanabi Ko Koko

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