Koko was a famous gorilla who made a huge impact on the way researchers understand her species. Her intelligence exceeded their expectations as she was able to sign thousands of words, paint, play an instrument, express empathy, and more. Read on to learn more about what made Koko a truly remarkable animal.
Being able to feel for another individual is a very complex emotional skill that not all mammals seem to possess. One of the amazing things about Koko was her ability to express empathy.
There is a heartwrenching scene in the movie Tea with Mussolini where a boy leaves his family. When watching it, Koko's eyes would water and she would sign the words "sad," "cry," "trouble," and "mother," showing that she could feel for others.
One of the most impressive tasks that Koko was able to do was playing an instrument. She learned how to play the recorder. Before Koko, experts didn't think that gorillas could learn such an intricate task.
Not only did playing prove that Koko could do something so complex, but it more specifically showed she could regulate her breathing. Wind instruments require the player to release air in a certain way, and Koko was intelligent enough to understand that.
Koko loved kittens and was a fan of The Three Little Kittens and Puss 'n' Boots. She asked her caretakers for a pet kitten, and so they gave her a stuffed one.
Koko signed "sad" in response to the stuffed animal, suggesting she wanted a real-life kitten. Her caretakers got the hint and let her pick out one from a litter. Koko named the cat All Ball and treated it like she would a baby.
Koko not only learned sign language, but she was also able to create her own forms of communication. Aside from making the typical gorilla sounds like grunts and purrs, Koko would also create vocalizations that were unique to her.
She also knew how to describe something she didn't yet have the word for. When Koko didn't yet know how to sign the word "ring," she signed the words "finger" and "bracelet." These descriptions illustrated Koko's impressive level of understanding.
One thing that sets humans apart from many other mammals is our awareness of mortality. Koko proved that she also knew that creatures would cease to exist. When shown a skeleton, Koko was able to indicate through sign language that it was dead.
The gorilla was then asked where the skeleton would go, to which she signed, "A comfortable hole." Koko even gave a kiss goodbye, showing that she understands that the deceased are gone.
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