Koko the Gorilla Promotes Conservation Through Communication
Perhaps best known for their work and relationship with Koko, the famous gorilla who communicates amazingly well through sign language, The Gorilla Foundation’s mission “is to bring interspecies communication to the public in order to save gorillas from imminent extinction; and inspire our children to create a sustainable future for all great apes.”
The Gorilla Foundation supports this mission through research, education, conservation, and special projects, such as the current building of the Maui Ape Preserve.
Children Can Help Koko the Gorilla and the Gorilla Foundation
Here are just a few ways kids can help:
- Visiting Koko’s Kids Club: This fun online learning site teaches children about Koko’s life through pictures, stories, and activities. Children can read about Koko and her human and Gorilla pals, send a letter to Koko, send an e-card or "Gorilla-Gram" to friends, and read about ways other children have helped this special species. There is also a list of ways children can help through fundraising, spreading the word about the Foundation and Endangered Gorillas, writing letters to people in influential positions, and more,
- Shopping at Amazon Books through The Gorilla Foundation’s link: The Foundation will receive 7% of the purchase price.
- Shopping or asking for gifts from Koko Mart (on the website): Koko Mart has wonderful and meaningful gifts such as real gorilla-produced art, stuffed gorillas, books and videos about Koko, t-shirts to promote the cause for endangered gorillas, and more.
- Adding a link to a website: If a child, parent, or school has a site, a link can be placed on that website leading to The Gorilla Foundation. See the site for special links with pictures of Koko, which are available for public use.
- Donating items from "Koko & Ndume's WishList": Needed are such things as specific gorilla-friendly toys, certain dvds (believe it or not, for Koko to watch movies for fun), computers, equipment, store gift certificates and more. Koko even wants pretty necklaces to wear! It takes a lot to keep these intelligent creatures stimulated and enriched. See the wishlist on the website under “How You Can Help.”
- Asking a science teacher or homeschooling parent to download and use free educational materials: Parents and teachers can inspire students with this free science curriculum to teach about gorillas, conservation and to help “create a better future for all great apes.” Lesson materials are also available on The Gorilla Foundation website.
- Helping to spread the word about the Maui Ape Preserve: This unique and spacious Sanctuary for Koko and other gorillas who cannot live in the wild will help scientists learn more about interspecies communication, give Koko a place hopefully have and raise the baby she so desires, and further public education about Gorillas.
Notes From The Gorilla Foundation:
"Koko is a 35 year-old lowland gorilla who learned to speak American Sign Language when she was just a baby. Her teacher, Dr. Penny Patterson, began working with Koko as a Ph.D. project at Stanford, thinking it would only be a 4-year study.
Thirty-some years later, Penny and Koko continue to work together at the Gorilla Foundation in one of the longest interspecies communication studies ever conducted, the only one with gorillas. Koko now has a vocabulary of over 1000 signs, and understands even more spoken English."
Knowing what is now known about the intelligence and loving nature of these incredible creatures, children need to learn about and help gorillas like Koko.
Janienne Jennrich - Janienne Jennrich, Topic Editor for Kids & Teen Parties and for Hair, is an award-winning freelance writer & webmaster.
