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Explore the story of Penny Patterson and Koko the gorilla.
In 1971, Penny Patterson, a graduate student at Stanford University, met Koko, a new-born gorilla in San Francisco Zoo. Penny had grown up wanting to communicate with animals and decided to teach Koko sign language in the hope of finally crossing the boundary between animals and humans.
In 1971, Penny Patterson, a graduate student at Stanford University, met Koko, a new-born gorilla in San Francisco Zoo. Penny had grown up wanting to communicate with animals and decided to teach Koko sign language in the hope of finally crossing the boundary between animals and humans.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Providing Support for PBS.org
Photos from Koko- The Gorilla Who Talks
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Koko & Penny Patterson. Koko on Penny’s shoulder. San Francisco Zoo.
Ron Cohn / © 2015 The Gorilla Foundation / Koko.org
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Penny Patterson & Koko. The Djerassi ranch, California.
Ron Cohn / © 2015 The Gorilla Foundation / Koko.org
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Penny Patterson and Koko. Penny signing to Koko. Koko’s trailer.
Ron Cohn / © 2015 The Gorilla Foundation / Koko.org
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Koko holding her kitten.
Ron Cohn / © 2015 The Gorilla Foundation / Koko.org
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Koko & Penny Patterson. Koko holds a flower to Penny’s nose.
Ron Cohn / © 2015 The Gorilla Foundation / Koko.org
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Koko hugs Penny Patterson at The Gorilla Foundation in California.
Ron Cohn / © 2015 The Gorilla Foundation / Koko.org
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Koko and Penny Patterson driving in a car.
Ron Cohn / © 2015 The Gorilla Foundation / Koko.org
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Koko taking a picture of herself in the mirror.
Ron Cohn / © 2015 The Gorilla Foundation / Koko.org
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Koko and Penny Patterson on a picnic.
Ron Cohn / © 2015 The Gorilla Foundation / Koko.org
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Penny Patterson signing to Koko in Koko’s trailer.
Ron Cohn / © 2015 The Gorilla Foundation / Koko.org
About the Show
In 1971, Penny Patterson, a graduate student at Stanford University, met Koko, a newborn gorilla in the San Francisco Zoo. Penny had grown up wanting to communicate with animals and decided to teach Koko sign language in hopes of finally crossing the boundary between animals and humans.
However, what started out as a scientific experiment evolved into a love story that, for almost half a century, has both challenged the way we think about animals and changed the course of many lives.
After 44 years, Project Koko is the world’s longest ape-language study and, according to Penny, the most successful, with Koko mastering hundreds of signs. After a lifetime together, Penny and Koko share a bond similar to that of a mother and daughter.
Early on, their relationship survived the San Francisco Zoo's attempts to reclaim Koko, ejection from the university where Penny gained her PhD, and skepticism from parts of the scientific community, which began to doubt the validity of Penny’s claims. Like any mother, Penny fought for Koko at every turn.
This is the unique story of the life-long relationship between scientist Penny Patterson and Koko the gorilla.
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