The Gorilla Foundation

On this Earth Day, gorillas need more than our admiration - they need a safe and natural home. Koko helped the world see gorillas in a new way, as individuals with deep feelings, distinct personalities, remarkable intelligence, and a profound capacity for

A Tribute to Jane Goodall by Parker Daley, Communications Director In 1987, Dr. Jane Goodall was mid-debate with her students at Gombe Stream Research Center. Dr. Goodall, having already spent decades understanding the perspectives and complex social stru

In the above video, Koko, at 9-years-old, demonstrates her remarkable comprehension skills. When I request that Koko find something soft, she presents a blanket and then correctly signs its color, orange. I couldn't help but tell her how smart she is. The

What if captive gorillas could live in relative freedom? We're working on a new kind of "gorilla-centric" sanctuaries that could be the preferred alternative of everyone who cares about the well-being of gorillas. The post Gorilla-centric Sanctuaries appe

In order to make it easy for people who live near gorillas in Africa, with slow internet connection speeds, view Koko Signs app videos properly, we added a special "offline mode" to the app. To use this mode, you simply "Download Content" from the interne

It's 2024 and we're still being inspired by Koko to do wonderful things for gorillas and the people who love them … The post Happy Holidays from Koko through the Years appeared first on The Gorilla Foundation.

Happy birthday Ndume! We miss and love you! Our most recent visit to see Ndume was at the end of June, 2024. While it is always good to see him, the visits remain bittersweet. Thick soundproof glass or long distance separate us, limiting our interactions.

Chase-Tickle "Train" (Video) The Gorilla Foundation

This video shows Koko (age 4) signing and playing with Penny inside at the San Francisco Zoo. Koko loved to play chase and swing, and was able to tell her caregivers exactly what she wanted. Koko's ability to share her wants and needs not only allowed for

In the above photo, a young Michael is gesturing to Koko that he wants her to "come" closer to him. This is an example of a natural gorilla gesture. All gorillas use gestures to communicate with one another. Over 100 unique gestures have been observed in