Koko, the world-famous sign language gorilla, has died.
Koko was born in San Francisco Zoo in 1971, making her 46 when she passed. Koko quickly started learning a form of sign language which enabled her to communicate with her caretaker. As a result, she has been the subject of many documentaries and has appeared on the cover of National Geographic twice. The gorilla reportedly understood over 2,000 words of spoken English.
“Koko touched the lives of millions as an ambassador for all gorillas and an icon for interspecies communication and empathy,” the Gorilla Foundation said in a statement. “She was beloved and will be deeply missed.”
