A famous gorilla who learned sign language and could communicate with humans, demonstrating that great apes have complex intelligence and emotions.
Koko is a proper name, but the word may derive from onomatopoeia or African language roots. The gorilla was born in 1971 and became world-famous for her ability to understand and use over 1,000 signs in American Sign Language, changing how scientists viewed animal cognition.
Koko proved that human language isn't the only way to think deeply—she used 1,000+ signs and even had a kitten she loved, showing emotions we thought were uniquely human. Her legacy fundamentally shifted how we understand the gap between humans and our closest living relatives.
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