Some of us might still remember the Gorilla named Koko, and how she shared a breakthrough in science.
Koko is not your ordinary gorilla.
Hanibi-ko, commonly known as Koko, was born on July 4, 1971at the San Francisco Zoo.
She’s the 50th gorilla born in captivity.
Her parents were Jacqueline and Bwana.
Koko became famous because, according to many people and scholars, she was able to learn sign language or ASL.
Dr. Francine “Penny” Patterson, a psychologist, is also Koko’s caretaker and teacher from a young age.
According to Patterson, Koko began learning sign language when she was just a year old.
Koko also developed a vast vocabulary of over 1,000 signs in ASL.
According to the news, Koko could understand around 2,000 spoken English words.
Amazing isn’t it?
Additionally, she exhibited a variety of cognitive skills, including puzzle-solving, self-recognition in the mirror, playing with toys and musical instruments, and even expressing emotions.
This is why many famous personalities visited her.
One of those celebrities was Fred Rogers.
You also might be familiar with the all-time favorite Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood a.k.a Mister Rogers.
From 1968 to 2001, an American half-hour educational children’s TV series aired and was loved by many.
Fred Rogers visited Koko at The Gorilla Foundation in Woodside, California in 1998.
He was with his team and his fellow Mister Rogers cast, David Newell, popularly known as Mr. McFeely.
It was one of the most beautiful meetings.
In an interview with Swift Fox Media, Mr. McFeely recalled what happened with the unforgettable meeting.
According to Mr. McFeely, the show wanted to share with everyone how amazing animals are and how children should learn about them and empathize with them.
Meeting Koko was different, though.
Mr. McFeely said that according to the staff of the conservatory, the Gorillas in their care actually watched Mr. Rogers.
This news amazed Fred Rogers so that he asked if he could actually spend time with Koko inside the cage, and her trainer, Patterson, agreed.
Fred entered the enclosure with Patterson.
Their first meeting was smooth, and Koko was very calm and even told her trainer that she liked having a visitor.
It was also apparent that Koko was mesmerized by Fred’s tennis shoes that she started unlacing them and removing them. She did a great job removing the shoes.
She was so gentle, too.
Everyone was so stunned by how smart, gentle, and expressive Koko was.
Some people, up until today, are still doubtful about Koko’s abilities, but the staff and crew of Mr. Roger’s show saw what Koko was capable of.
Mr. McFeely also remembered how Mr. Rogers went home wearing the same outfit he had, and his wife asked where he had been because he had this unpleasant smell.
But Mr. Rogers didn’t mind that.
He was so fascinated by Koko’s intelligence and capabilities.
The meeting was unforgettable, not just for the cast and crew of Mr. Rogers, but for many people who watched it.
For Mr. McFeely, this special meeting had thought many children and even adults an important lesson, and that is, appreciation of animals.
Indeed, every animal is special and unique, and all of them deserve to live in a world without cruelty.
See how Koko and Mr. Rogers began their beautiful friendship in the video below!
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