Gorilla koko mourns about Robin Williams

In 2001, Robin Williams was invited to meet Koko, the gorilla who communicates in sign language, at The Gorilla Foundation in northern California. We had no idea what to expect, but everyone was in for a treat, and they became very special friends.

On Monday, Aug. 11, the day news broke of Williams' passing, Koko and Penny and Ron (Drs. Patterson and Cohn) were together when phone calls started coming in about the sad event. After the first call, Koko came to Dr. Patterson with an inquiring look on her face. Dr. Patterson explained that "we have lost a dear friend, Robin Williams." Koko was quiet and looked very thoughtful.

More phone calls about the news came in, and Koko overheard one from a former colleague who had worked with Williams while he filmed a public service announcement for The Gorilla Foundation (based on his visit with Koko) in 2003. The colleague's voice broke at the end of the conversation. About a half an hour later, Koko signed to Penny: "CRY LIP" (LIP is Koko's sign for woman).

At the end of the day, Koko became very somber, with her head bowed and her lip quivering.

www.koko.org...

That had me in tears. He looked like he was really enjoying himself there and it looked like KoKo really did know who he was after she showed her the video case.

Thanks for sharing this.

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical, and figured that Koko would be responding to the emotions of those around her. A brief encounter 13 years ago wouldn't have that big of an impact right? However, after watching the video I am much less skeptical and believe it is very possible that she was grieving him despite the amount of time that has passed.

originally posted by: Kangaruex4Ewe
That had me in tears. He looked like he was really enjoying himself there and it looked like KoKo really did know who he was after she showed her the video case.

Thanks for sharing this.

Yeah, sad and heartwarming at the same time to me too.

originally posted by: calstorm
I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical, and figured that Koko would be responding to the emotions of those around her. A brief encounter 13 years ago wouldn't have that big of an impact right? However, after watching the video I am much less skeptical and believe it is very possible that she was grieving him despite the amount of time that has passed.

Gorillas are great apes and are capable of deep thoughts and emotions. I have no doubt that a gorilla can grieve the passing of an individual, just as we can. Hell, we grieve the death of Robin Williams, yet most of us have never even met him. It isn't so far-fetched to believe that Koko, who had a brief encounter with Robin, could also grieve his passing.

For those who are wondering how she would be responding to the meeting years earlier, it was long enough to make an impression. But she was also IQ tested, and she was 90 or higher. If they had made the test gorilla friendly, ie. what do you eat, an ice cream cone or a flower, (they like flowers), she would probably be 100, average.

Your teenage child would never forget a meeting like that either. Would recognize someone years later.

Indeed very heartfelt and sad. I'd guess it's possible then Koko was familiar with his movies as well-movies* that caretakers would share with her?- beyond just really enjoying his presence in person as shared.


*

Koko watches intently a DVD movie on her TV that she has seen several times before. It is called Tea with Mussolini. When it comes to a sad part, where the boy has to say goodbye to all of his relatives and waves goodbye on the train, Koko turns away from the TV. She then proceeds to sign: "Frown, sad, cry, bad, trouble, mother and Koko-love." Her eyes also look very watery. (Gorillas cry too.)

Video of Koko being emotional over a movie.

First Allball now Robin poor Koko.
Just shows us that our evolutionary cousins are not much different then us.

Anyhow here is the two great apes meeting each other.



Chin up Koko we all still love you.

Just watching the joy on both their faces...ah man.


Here is what he said about her.

a reply to: daaskapital

I am sorry, I guess I didn't make myself clear, I will try putting it a different way. Would you grieve over someone you had a brief encounter with 13 years ago? You might feel bad that they died, but if the person was a mere acquaintance you probably wouldn't grieve their loss UNLESS they made an impact on your life.

SO yes, I was skeptical over the the fact it was a brief encounter and time had gone by. Until, I saw the connection between Koko and Robin Williams. The was a connection between the two, that is the difference.

a reply to: calstorm

Koko watches a lot of movies and knows and can recognise the actors in them.
Koko has shown grief before when her cat Allball got run down.

a reply to: boymonkey74

Yes, I am not nor have I ever questioned whether she could feel grief or not. I don't know what I have said to give that impression. I know all about the morning of her kitten and how intelligent she is. My skepticism came from having such a brief meeting. Humans don't grieve over someone they had a brief encounter with that long ago unless that person made a huge impact on their lives.

I feel like people are missing the point of what I am saying. Sorry if I am not communicating it properly.

Until I saw the video I was thinking to myself "That was so long ago so and they only spent a short time together that it couldn't have made that big of an impact on her." The I saw the video and saw I was wrong. I saw that he did make an impact on her. I didn't know prior to the video that they spent time playing and made an emotional connection.

a reply to: BornAgainAlien


There is some empirical evidence that animals do express emotion, but for the most part the scientific world frowns upon any sort of references to emotion in animals, calling it anthropormophism on the part of the researcher.

But as a person who has surrounded himself with animals willingly through my short stay on this planet, I can say that animals certainly have emotions, personalities and they can express them in various ways. If a dog can have an emotional life, then certainly a gorilla can have an emotional life. And perhaps Robin Williams made enough of an impact upon Koko's life to evoke an emotional response.

It's just sad to see any animal grieving, in my opinion.