Gorilla That Can Talk Said Something Shocking About Humans – You Won’t Believe It!
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Koko, the talking gorilla, left an indelible mark on the world before her passing. Her life story is not just a testament to the incredible intelligence of animals, but a poignant reflection of the deeper connection between humans and the natural world.
It all began on July 4, 1971, in San Francisco, when a baby gorilla was born in the zoo on Independence Day. Her name was Hanabi-Ko, meaning “fireworks child” in Japanese, a name later shortened to simply “Koko.” No one at the time could have imagined that this small, helpless gorilla would change the way humans viewed animals and their cognitive abilities.
Koko’s early life was not easy. When she was just an infant, she became ill and had to be separated from her mother for treatment. Upon her return, her mother rejected her, leaving Koko alone in a cage with other gorillas that were unfamiliar to her. But fate had a different plan for her. In 1972, a Stanford University graduate student named Francine Patterson, known as Penny, chose to care for Koko. Penny was researching how to communicate with great apes and wanted to teach Koko sign language.
At the time, gorillas were not seen as particularly intelligent compared to other primates. Most people thought they were aggressive, and scientists were hesitant to interact with them. But Penny’s experiment shattered these misconceptions.
The start of Koko’s training was challenging. When humans learn sign language, a teacher typically guides their hands into the right positions. However, Koko refused to let anyone touch her. So, Penny had to demonstrate signs repeatedly, showing Koko objects and signing for them. To everyone’s surprise, Koko quickly displayed an astonishing ability to learn.
The first sign Koko learned was for “drink.” She would touch her lips with her fingers while curling the rest of her fingers. Over time, Penny and Koko formed a deep bond. Koko was even moved from the zoo to a special trailer-laboratory on the university campus, where she had her own room but was free to roam wherever she wanted, including Penny’s room. At the age of three, Koko could use around 200 signs in American Sign Language (ASL). She didn’t just name objects; she could express her emotions too. When shown a picture of a monkey taking a bath, Koko signed, “I cry there,” because she didn’t like baths. When she saw a horse with a bit in its mouth, she signed, “Sad horse, teeth.”
Perhaps the most remarkable thing was that Koko had a sense of humor. One time, she called herself a “good bird” and pretended to fly, then admitted she was joking. On another occasion, she tugged at Penny’s hair and, laughing, signed an apology. This showed that Koko had what scientists call “theory of mind” — the ability to understand that other beings have thoughts and feelings different from her own.
Koko’s ability to create new signs was equally fascinating. If she didn’t know the sign for something, she would combine familiar signs to create a new one. For example, when she saw Penny wearing a ring, Koko called it a “finger bracelet,” which makes perfect sense. She did this with other objects too, calling a mask a “hat for eyes” and a cup without water in it “no drink.”
This creative language use demonstrated that Koko wasn’t just memorizing signs; she understood their meaning and could combine them in meaningful ways. Some skeptics claimed that Penny was simply training Koko like a circus animal, but the facts proved otherwise.
When Koko was left alone, she would often engage in long conversations with her dolls using sign language. She even tried to communicate with other animals and, when they didn’t respond, she turned to inanimate objects. This kind of behavior is hard to explain as simple training. Her IQ was estimated to be between 70 and 90, which, while lower than the human average, was still remarkable for an animal.
Koko also displayed incredible empathy. In 1984, for her birthday, she asked her caretakers for a kitten. They brought her a few stray kittens to choose from, and Koko carefully examined each one, finally deciding to keep a small gray kitten without a tail, whom she named All Ball. Koko took great care of the kitten, cradling it gently and even attempting to nurse it. Tragically, the kitten ran away later that year and was hit by a car. Koko’s reaction to this loss was deeply moving. When she was told, she initially appeared in shock, then let out soft, sorrowful sounds — the deep, mournful groans gorillas make when they grieve. She signed that she was “sad” and “bad,” using signs for sleep and “cat sleep” as though she was trying to accept that her kitten was gone forever.
Koko’s ability to experience and express grief made her even more human-like in the eyes of many. In the years that followed, she had more kittens, and in her 44th year, she received two new kittens, whom she named Miss Black and Miss Grey. Videos of Koko gently cuddling her new kittens went viral, touching the hearts of people around the world.
Koko became known not only for her intelligence but for her quirky habits and unique personality. She had an unusual fascination with human breasts and often used signs to express her desire to see them. In 2005, three caretakers filed a lawsuit, claiming they were forced to meet this request. This was just one of many instances that demonstrated Koko’s extraordinary self-awareness.
At the age of 19, Koko passed a mirror self-recognition test, something few gorillas have done. Unlike most gorillas, who see their reflection as another gorilla, Koko immediately recognized herself. She would often look at her reflection, which was further evidence of her remarkable self-awareness.
Koko also enjoyed watching movies. Her favorite film was “Tea with Mussolini.” Whenever she watched the saddest scene — when the young boy says goodbye to his family — Koko would turn her back so as not to get upset. “Jurassic Park” also impressed her so much that she was afraid to approach her toy dinosaurs. These moments revealed the emotional depth of Koko’s world.
Koko’s fame grew year after year. Her photograph with All Ball appeared on the cover of National Geographic, becoming one of the most iconic images in publishing history. Many celebrities visited Koko, including comedian Robin Williams, with whom Koko formed a warm relationship. In a touching video, Koko tries to put glasses on Williams, invites him to tickle her, and together they make funny faces.
When Williams tragically passed away in 2014, Koko was visibly affected. She wandered around in sorrow all day. Koko communicated not only through sign language but also learned to use a special computer with symbols that allowed her to “type” words, which were then spoken aloud by the computer. She also learned to draw and write simple symbols and even played musical instruments like a toy harmonica and recorder.
But one of the most profound aspects of Koko’s life was her understanding of death. One day, a caretaker showed her a skeleton and asked if it was alive or dead. Koko signed “dead.” When asked where dead gorillas go, Koko calmly signed “comfortable hole” and blew a kiss. This response made many people question how deeply Koko understood the concept of death.
In the final years of her life, Koko became an ambassador for nature, urging people to take better care of the planet and its animals. “Nature is watching you,” she signed, a message that resonated deeply with many.
Koko passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 19, 2018, just weeks before her 47th birthday. Her death was mourned by millions around the world, who had come to see her as a symbol of friendship, understanding, and the deep bond between humans and animals.
Before she left, Koko left humanity with a chilling message: “I am Gorilla… I am flower, animal… I am Nature. Human Koko love. Earth Koko love. But foolish Human… Koko cry.” She implored humanity to “Fix Earth! Help Earth! … Nature sees you.” These words, full of urgency, continue to echo in the hearts of those who witnessed her extraordinary journey.
Sᴇᴇ Mᴏʀᴇ: Jesus ‘wasn’t called Jesus’ as scientists say Son of God went by something else
Jesus’ name has been through various different translation throughout the years, however historian now claim Jesus’ real name might be closer to the name we now know as ‘Joshua’
Jesus has been known as many names throughout the years (Image: Getty Images)
Jesus Christ probably had a totally different name, experts have sensationally claimed. Boffs reckon he would have gone by a moniker in his native language of Aramaic which would be unrecognisable to us.
It is a far cry from our modern tongue and the name Jesus has letters which were not even used in written language until 1,500 years after the ‘son of God’ died. The name of Christianity’s main figure has been mangled over time after being repeatedly translated – mutating from Aramaic to Hebrew, then Greek and into Latin.
It finally received an English translation in the 16th century by which time it had become ‘Jesus’.
In Hebrew this name is written as “Yeshu” which is closer to the English name “Joshua.”(Image: Getty Images)
Linguists also claim the surname was not ‘Christ’ and instead would have been linked to his home town of Nazareth in Israel. It means Jesus’ real name was probably actually Yeshu Nazareen. Professor Dineke Houtman, an expert on the relationship between Judaism and Christianity said: “We cannot know for sure which languages Jesus spoke.
“However, given his family background in Nazareth, we can assume his day-to-day language was Aramaic.”
The religious studies boff, from the Protestant Theological University in the Netherlands, said Jesus with a hard ‘J’ wasn’t a name that existed at the time he lived.
Professor Houtman added: “His name would probably have been in Aramaic – Yeshua. It is likely that this is also how he introduced himself. Another possibility is the shorter form Yeshu which is the form used in later rabbinic literature.”
The name Yeshu was as popular as the name Arthur is today. Professor Candida Moss, of Birmingham University added: “Most scholars agree that his name was Yeshua or possibly Yeshu, which was one of the most common names in first-century Galilee.”
Jesus’ lived in a region called Judea that was under the control of the Roman Empire that is now located in modern day Israel and Palestine(Image: Getty Images)
And experts cast doubt on the name ‘Christ’ too. Historian Dr Marko Marina, of Zagreb University said: “In the ancient world, most people didn’t have a last name as we understand it today. Instead, they were identified through other means, such as their parentage, place of origin, or other distinguishing characteristics.
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“For example, someone might be referred to as ‘John, the son of Zebedee’ or ‘Mary Magdalene’, with ‘Magdalene’ probably indicating she was from a place called Magdala.”
Many scholars agree Jesus, who was frequently referred to as Jesus of Nazareth, would likely have incorporated his hometown into his name.
