Koko the Gorilla and Her Kittens

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Bohemian

Bohemian

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Take a look at this heart-warming story of Koko, a gorilla who can sign over 1,000 English language words, when she is greeted by a box of kittens for her 44th birthday recently.

Koko adopted two; Ms Grey and Ms Black (who nearly busted a gut trying to climb out of the kittens' carrier basket to get to Koko).

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-16/koko-gorilla-adopts-two-kittens-birthday/6861006

Koko previously had a kitten she named All Ball. All Ball was the victim of an MVA and Koko was beside herself with grief.

You can find out more about Koko (and her kittens) at The Gorilla Foundation:

http://www.koko.org/
 
I saw this today on Twitter and it really warmed my heart and I couldn't stop thinking about the Koko compared to all the horrendous "moms" we get to see on Websleuths who abuse or cause the death of their babies.
 
lonetraveler said:
I saw this today on Twitter and it really warmed my heart and I couldn't stop thinking about the Koko compared to all the horrendous "moms" we get to see on Websleuths who abuse or cause the death of their babies.
Click to expand...

I know. My heart hurts from smiling...and that's a wonderful thing. And we call beautiful beings like them animals...
 
This is so adorable and heartwarming!
 
I love love love this story. Thank you so much for posting it.

At the Atlanta zoo many years ago I watched a huge male silverback let one of his tiny offspring crawl all over him while he was trying to take nap. This powerful animal, who could've broken that baby's neck in an instant, was so amazingly gentle and patient as the baby gorilla played on top of him.
 
La Louve said:
I love love love this story. Thank you so much for posting it.

At the Atlanta zoo many years ago I watched a huge male silverback let one of his tiny offspring crawl all over him while he was trying to take nap. This powerful animal, who could've broken that baby's neck in an instant, was so amazingly gentle and patient as the baby gorilla played on top of him.
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Thanks for commenting, La Louve. You gave me a reminder to come back to this story again.

Thanks also for your sweet story about the silverback and his baby. I've seen something similar at the zoo where I live. Such gentle creatures. Some of us have a lot to learn from them.
 
shana said:
PRESS RELEASE: Koko Remembers Robin Williams

Article includes youtube of the meeting between Koko and Robin in 2001.

Sad, yes...but so moving.

RIP Robin Williams

~jmo~
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this, Shana. So touching. I loved Robin Williams.

Jack Kerouac's quote always reminds me of him:

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!'"

I read today that his wife revealed he was diagnosed with dementia not long before his death. He will be missed.
 
Peppermintswirlz said:
There is some controversy as to whether or not primates can really be taught sign language. I thought this article was interesting: What Do Talking Apes Really Tell Us?
Click to expand...

The article doesn't question that they are taught sign language, that isn't in doubt.

It questions how much the human caretakers project into the communication such as the statements that KoKo was extremely sad and mourning the death of Robin Williams. Seems to me the only reason they would have even told Koko about Williams death (a man she had only met once years before) would be to "illicit a reaction" and then advertise it.
 
Peppermintswirlz said:
There is some controversy as to whether or not primates can really be taught sign language. I thought this article was interesting: What Do Talking Apes Really Tell Us?
Click to expand...

Sonya610 said:
The article doesn't question that they are taught sign language, that isn't in doubt.

It questions how much the human caretakers project into the communication such as the statements that KoKo was extremely sad and mourning the death of Robin Williams. Seems to me the only reason they would have even told Koko about Williams death (a man she had only met once years before) would be to "illicit a reaction" and then advertise it.
Click to expand...

I appreciate your input. It's always interesting to read different perspectives.

I think we have ended up going somewhere on this thread that wasn't intended. I just wanted everyone to see how gentle a large ape could be with a litter of kittens and smile.
 
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