Hanabiko , nicknamed " Koko " July 4, — June 19, was a female western lowland gorilla born in the San Francisco Zoo [ 2 ] and cross-fostered by Francine Patterson for use in ape language experiments. Koko gained public attention as the subject of two National Geographic cover stories and, in , the best-selling children's picture book, Koko's Kitten. Koko became the world's most famous representative of her critically endangered species.
Koko's communication skills were hotly debated. Patterson has been widely criticized for misrepresenting Koko's skills, providing insufficient care for Koko and her companion gorillas, and inappropriate treatment of Gorilla Foundation staff members. Despite such controversies, Koko's story changed the public image of gorillas, previously assumed to be brainless and violent.
Koko remained with her mother until December, when she was hospitalized due to malnutrition, then hand-tended in the zookeeper's home. Up through June , she conducted sign language lessons with Koko from the Children's Zoo exhibit. The environment was noisy and distracting, so Patterson and her life partner Ron Cohn purchased a trailer in which they could conduct Koko's signing sessions. Around this time, Patterson realized that conflict with the zoo was "inevitable". Gorillas are social animals and suffer when isolated from their species.
And, as gorillas are endangered , the zoo expected to breed Koko. Patterson found an exotic species dealer who sold her two infant gorillas that she suspected were illegally "harvested" a process that involves killing the mother and any surrounding adults. But the female died within a month. Only the male, Michael , survived. Stuck without a viable trade for the zoo, Patterson launched a "Save Koko" press campaign, telling reporters that if Koko had to go back to the zoo, she may sink into depression, refuse to eat, and possibly die.
In , Koko gained worldwide attention when she was pictured on the cover of National Geographic magazine. The cover was a photo of Koko taking her own picture in the mirror. Koko was later featured on the cover of National Geographic in with a picture of her and her kitten, All Ball.
