She was born on Independence Day, 1971 in the San Francisco
Zoo. She was given the name Hanabi-ko, which means “Fireworks Child.” But most
of the world knew her as Koko the gorilla. While still an infant, she was
chosen to participate in a sign language research project. Koko died peacefully
in her sleep two weeks before her forty-seventh birthday. In a statement about
her passing, The Gorilla Foundation said, “Her impact has been profound and
what she has taught us about the emotional capacity of gorillas and their
cognitive abilities will continue to shape the world.” Throughout her life,
Koko has been making headlines. She learned to communicate and connect with
humans. She used a camera to take a selfie in the mirror. She learned to play
the recorder. She adopted a kitten and when it died, mourned its loss. Now the
rest of us will have to mourn hers.
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