KOKO Gorilla has died at the age of 46.

Yesterday morning was when we lost KOKO gorilla, at the age of 46. KOKO was no ordinary gorilla, the popular gorilla was famous for the extraordinary skills of sign language she was using.

“Koko touched the lives of millions as an ambassador for all gorillas and an icon for interspecies communication and empathy. She was beloved and will be deeply missed.” Said the representative of Gorilla Foundation.

In 1971 on july 4 KOKO was born in the city of San Francisco Zoo and given the name Hanabi-ko (Japanese for ‘fireworks child’).  It was Dr Francine ‘penny’ Patterson who thought KOKO gorilla sign language.

Dr. Francine along with Dr. Ronald Cohn back in 1974 moved the project and koko to Stanford. Establishing the Gorilla Foundation. However this project moved again from Stanford to Santa Cruz Mountains in 1979. It was then when Ndume joined them as fellow ambassador.

KOKO gorilla receive love from millions due to her extraordinary abilities. She also  featured in many documentaries and appeared twice on the national geographic cover. Once in October 1978 and the other in January 1985.