The Koko Thread

This is not pets and it;s not cryptozoology, so I thought I would pick this one.

In a recent thread, owlbear mentioned Koko. Koko is a 45 year old female gorilla that knows sign language,most SPOKEN English, wants a baby -though mating has failed- she has had kittens as pets and responds emotionally. She responds emotionally not only to the death od pets, but to sad movies. She has delighted visitors, one of the most famous being Robin Williams.

She also makes fantastic artwork. That often looks just like what she is using as a model to draw.

I found a video I had not seen, though it is from 2015, of Koko picking out a new kitten. Her previous kitten,'Allball' had escaped and was hit by a car.

koko picks from a selection of kittens




Koko and Robin Willilams




Koko and Robin Williams Death



Koko and art



Koko 'reads' a book



koko Mourns Allball



Koko responds to a sad movie "Tea with Mussolini"




Eventually, gorillas and primates this smart should have some rights.

a reply to: reldra

Eventually, gorillas and primates this smart should have some rights.

I think that even those primates that are not as smart as she is deserve some rights. Maybe the right to live unmolested in their original habitat.
They are killed and eaten as 'bush meat' in Africa. You can even buy black market gorilla meat in NYC, but it is really expensive.

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: reldra

Eventually, gorillas and primates this smart should have some rights.

I think that even those primates that are not as smart as she is deserve some rights. Maybe the right to live unmolested in their original habitat.
They are killed and eaten as 'bush meat' in Africa. You can even buy black market gorilla meat in NYC, but it is really expensive.

You are right. I was thinking of the US, where some are held in tiny cages as roadside attractions. It is legal in some states.

There have been 2 court cases that I know of, writ of habeus Corpus granted to 2 Chimpanzees I think, in the end though, the owners, keeping the chimps in horrible conditions prevailed.

A judge simply granting writ of habeus corpus to 2 chimanzees is a step, though. It is one case where they are recognized as legal persons. Though the appeals lost, the precedent stands.

Under the law of New York State, only a “legal person” may have an order to show cause and writ of habeas corpus issued in his or her behalf. The Court has therefore implicitly determined that Hercules and Leo are “persons.”

Mmmm... Koko steaks

originally posted by: watchitburn
Mmmm... Koko steaks

Ok, that was just bad.

The problem with koko is that she really is just another ape and does not really know sign language. Her tainer has to be there to "translate" for koko. Its really just a bad hoax that has gone on for far too long. People who have worked with koko have to sign a NDA

a reply to: butcherguy

I'm all in favour of all animals remaining unmolested in their habitats BUT that would mean the whole world turning veggie/ vegan and I don't see that happening any time soon.

If all primates were 'protected' what about other species that have demonstrated intelligence and what arbitrary level of intelligence is required to receive this protection.

Some countries let you eat certain animals that are illegal in others so we would also need global agreement which again is unlikely.