Did you know that this gorilla pictured here has learned to successfully communicate with humans through a unique sign language?

This female lowland gorilla named “Koko” was born on July 1, 1971 and is 154cm tall and weighs 127kg, and first met Dr. Patterson at age three months.  Koko is now able to talk and understand approximately 1,000 or more words of sign language.

  

Koko and Ball Become Friends

During the process of learning to communicate, Dr. Patterson used picture books and discovered that the gorilla was interested in the pictures of cats. Dr. Patterson decided to give a kitten to the gorilla to help reduce the gorilla’s loneliness and anxiety. The gorilla was named Koko. The kitten was named Ball.

Here is the Cute Kitten named Ball with Koko the Gorilla.

Koko would play together with Ball, pat its head and hold it gently for many hours just like a best friend.

However, one day Ball was killed in an accidental traffic accident. And, Dr. Patterson told the Koko about this news. You can see it on the video below (the scene starting from 0:57 ~)

Dr. Patterson: “Ball can not come to see the other.”

Koko: “…..”
 
After a while,

“Sad and (sad)”
“Sorry (sorry)”
“Love (love)”
“Unattention (not want to talk).”

The “Death” of the Individual

The same researchers (Dr. Murin and Dr. Paterson) tried to ask Koko some questions about the death of Ball the Kitten.

Dr. Murin: “reminded yo, (refers to a stuffed toy) This gorilla is alive, or dead in?”

Koko: “dead in goodbye.”

Dr. Murin: “When gorilla to die, How I wonder feel? happy, sad, or scared?”

Koko: “the sleep.”

Dr. Murin: “When the gorilla to die, where are you going to?”

Koko: “goodbye to struggle with no holes.” ※ original “Comfortable hole bye.”

Dr. Murin: “When will die gorilla?”

Koko: “in the year it is taking disease.”

What do you think?

The idea of “death” to Koko the gorilla has been glimpsed. For many human beings, there is a strong sense of fear about “death” but perhaps other animals may view “death” with greater sense of natural acceptance than we had previously considered. Would other people feel the same way?

source: Gorilla’s Pet