Koko (lowland gorilla)
Koko is a 180-pound, lowland gorilla who has been taught American Sign Language by developmental psychologist Francine “Penny” Patterson since July, 1972. Born on the fourth of July, 1971 at the San Francisco Zoo, the gorilla was named Hanabiko (Japanese for “fireworks child”), but she is best known by her nickname, Koko. With the possible