Koko plays with a yellow balloon

Penny asks Koko to do something imaginative with a yellow balloon. Koko compares it to her yellow-dyed tongue (the result of sucking on a non-toxic yellow marker earlier that day), then does some juggling with the balloon and finally pretends it is a baby (at Penny's request). Koko is clear about how to treat a baby - gently, and with love and playfulness.
Later that day, Koko decides to sketch on the ballon with a black pen, adding strands of "hair" to a gorilla face. She seems quite pleased with her work and signs "good" and blows kisses to let Penny and Ron know she approves and is one happy gorilla.
Lesson: Gorillas have a mind of their own, and can be as creative (and endearing) as humans when playing. However, they\'re not perfect.
Date Added: May 11, 2009
Videographer: Ron Cohn

[@vlr_1374]

She could crush a human head with her bare hands, yet she still holds the balloon with such gentleness

[@umapreciadordemacacos1001]

I think a gorilla can control his force

[@calebmurphy9406]

@@umapreciadordemacacos1001 *Her Also, that's the point he was making.

[@kikosawa]

So do we. We could easily break someone's bones if we tried but we don't.

[@Ajesen]

This woman devoted her entire life to Koko

[@sloth1021]

I would

[@haimarrrr]

It was her daughter in a way.

[@oooo-fz9pk]

@@haimarrrr she

[@ruhbruh1290]

Haimar how dare you call her a "IT"

[@mb-tz8nu]

@@ruhbruh1290 yeah stop use this dirty Pronoun on animals they are have feelings, memories, thoughts and sex🧐🧐

[@AnaniAnime]

That's so cool how she can understand what they're saying.

[@UbeJams]

Didn't think I'd find a Peridot here lol

[@mk3lish]

Wow I saw a peridot A3X-Y8Z hey you are so intelligent I think its better if you go back to the diamonds.

[@alantheannihilator3599]

yeah it's epic

[@micahbell4235]

they are the same as us but last gen

[@goognamgoognw6637]

@@micahbell4235 exactly, and proto-humans lives matters are with us too.

[@SWLinPHX]

0:43 Imagine just sitting at your desk doing paperwork while a giant gorilla was behind you in the room just doing their thing.

[@allie4182]

Sucking on those yummy highlighters

[@Nestor123057]

I've actually had that experience.

[@FoxHound109]

This is absolute incredible. The level of self-awareness she displays is out of this world. The fact that she was able to remember that her tongue was yellow from eating the crayon shows the extent of her memory, but what's more incredible is how she was able to connect the color of tongue with the balloon, connecting past events to something in the present. Better yet, she even signs "fake" to show that she knows her tongue, naturally, is not a yellow color.

[@sindhurai9557]

Man! I could watch her all day

[@bravoproductions1792]

shine bright stalker😃😃 I am not being a bulllly it’s a joke

[@mariasoto8600]

A koko reality show. Much more insightful, lovin and educational than the Kardashians

[@poppykok5]

I was concerned the balloon would accidentally burst and badly frighten Koko...

[@AmbrosiaDreamWeaver]

+poppykok5 Me too, she was real careful with it tho! She must know her own strength well. :)

[@MsStormcrow]

+OswaldsNightingale if she can handle kittens without hurting them, she can handle a balloon.

[@AmbrosiaDreamWeaver]

Yes, that goes without saying.

[@poppykok5]

but yet I said it...HaHa

[@subhkranrawat5422]

Lori Burnip cooooo

[@SWLinPHX]

1:05 Penny tells her to stick out her tongue and she does without sign. She understands spoken English very well (more than sign) but just can't speak verbally.

[@Raymot1]

Um, you can't see whether there's a sign.

[@davidsain2129]

I wonder if verbalization was tried. Anyway, it is not necessary. Communication was happening.

[@jg1681]

Koko knows about 2000 English words

[@narraticn]

@@Raymot1 Koko can understand english, though. She is not stupid, obviously.

[@Raymot1]

@@narraticn Obviously.

[@sapphire48481]

I love you Koko. You inspire me to love more.

[@SWLinPHX]

:D

[@fattymcbutterpants9700]

koko is dead

[@davidsain2129]

Koko inspires me too, even though she died last year. I miss her & am grateful for these videos. I regret that I only learned of her a few years ago. I wonder if she taught sign to other gorillas?

[@calus_bath_water]

@@fattymcbutterpants9700 bruh

[@realanimegirl777]

@@fattymcbutterpants9700 Bruh why so blunt

[@Rawrgoaway]

Seeing the "earlier that day" thing makes me think one thing... Koko needs her own sitcom.

[@jazzyy1451]

Sometimes I think about the fact she died without being able to have the one thing she really wanted that being a baby and it makes me so sad

[@chocolatedogs6676]

R.I.P Koko 😭 she will be missed

[@oooo-fz9pk]

Im crying

[@chinguandfriends1800]

May i ask why she couldnt have a baby of her own when she was alive?

[@ARTDaGAT]

Nana Hs they tried but the male gorillas she didn’t get along with the male gorillas she was put with

[@Hyden21]

@Anna K they are not retarded, they are like that naturally.

[@Sunnyshineroberts]

oh how much koko wants to be a mom!! made me so sad when she put the balloon against her chest. there seems to be a strong want to be a mother even in this beautiful being!! I really wish you could get her a baby even a adoptive one koko would be a awesome mother!!!

[@shawnakelson1735]

They need to train her to be free she is so miserable she worries about the fake baby bottle having real food in It for the fake baby! Her favorite color was red! I feel so sorry for her bc she is so sad all the time and the crew is so clinical with her they make her work always and now she is so domesticated and differenr that other males won't mate with her! Bc they communicate so differently now! Its a sad life for koko and she is imprisoned I dont care what anyone says! This is quite sad! I love you koko! But I read later she has passed away now! Sad :(

[@sloth1021]

She got kittens at least and she loves them so much

[@tamaraj4200]

Maternal Instinct is natural in all mammals.

[@patsysadowski1546]

People mean well but educate yourself. Koko wasn’t miserable, she wanted a baby and had two different male companions but never mated. She could have been a mother. She was orphaned and would have died in the wild. She was hand reared, mostly by this women who was doing her degree but they never parted. Koko has mothered kittens and lived beyond her life expectancy. She wasn’t unhappy. Just deeply sensitive. Going back to the wild was not suitable for her.

[@calebmurphy9406]

2:18 The way she's staring off into the distance trying to think of what to draw always made me smile.

[@LilOverdrive]

"You definitely have some issues today...lets see the mouth..." *Koko pokes tongue out* HAHA! Awe love Koko :')

[@1954telecaster]

Koko is like "it's just a balloon bitch, what do you want me to do"

[@Otakuweaboo3]

LOL

[@marilu2494]

Hahaha yes😂

[@SWLinPHX]

I wish she didn't have to pretend a balloon was a baby and could actually hold a real one. : (

[@sosam2000]

Poor sweet girl never got to have her own baby, you know she would have been a good mom

[@ufhjfu4326]

@@sosam2000 she got kittens and robin williams though so it worked out

[@sosam2000]

signor e all ball 🥺

[@ufhjfu4326]

@@sosam2000 stop im gonna pour

[@pixelcrunch300]

@@sosam2000 It was so sad that Koko never got to bear fruit. Then her legacy could have lived on. R.I.P Koko.

[@fancysfolly554]

Koko is so smart. I’m glad she found a family that loved her and taught her so they could show the world about animal feelings and intelligence.

[@AuthorPamelaBeason]

I love this demonstration of Koko's vocabulary and understanding. I wish Dr. Patterson would write more books about her gorillas. I based Neema, the prime character in my mystery novel THE ONLY WITNESS, on my readings and videos about Koko.

[@momozuke2757]

When you realize Koko was drawing the balloon to look like her baby 😭

[@shawnakelson1735]

I feel so bad for her! Free koko

[@bassiebassie3417]

@@shawnakelson1735 what?

[@shawnakelson1735]

@@bassiebassie3417 I didn't know she had passed and she just looks terribly sad in all her videos! My dog reacts to millions of English commands so we can only guess how intelligent and animal like koko is but this research does not benifit her kind or ours its just interesting but its sad for her and her life she is a prisoner and now she is so different from other animals they will not mate with her! All wild animals should be taught to be wild so they can LIVE and LOVE! The only reason to LIVE is to LOVE and these guys pretend to be loving but actually they are quite distant with her and trest her way to clinically! It's sad!

[@sosam2000]

So sad, she really wanted a baby

[@username4441]

@@shawnakelson1735 hey shawna, life is suffering. stop being naive.

[@murrayannandale]

This is incredible! I am more amazed at Koko than I've been at any building, mechanical or engineering feat. The intelligence and love really touched me deeply.

[@Azian2DaMax]

This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my entire life.

[@jigsaweb3919]

Koko is the best!

[@sandralee9155]

JigSawEB I wonder what she was thinking

[@Kissameassa538]

I wish I could have given Koko a big, huge hug. Rest in peace my sweet Lady 🦍❤️🇬🇧

[@Wolfietherrat]

Koko is the sweetest thing for us simple humans.

[@gameu360]

It feels wrong to call her an animal. Koko is a sentient being to me.

[@gameu360]

***** I don't consider a rat to be sentient.

[@a7mdxxxbohndy]

Yepe should get her civil rights, all her kin did get them decades ago

[@egosumv3112]

+CanEhdianbuddEh!? It doesn't matter if you consider them to be; they literally are. You can think what you want, but humans are not unique.

[@BlueHazyDreams]

+CanEhdianbuddEh!? What do you think sentient means?

[@alesin1992]

+CanEhdianbuddEh!? Humans are sentient animals though. Nothing wrong with that, it's just that some people equate "animal" with "lesser".

[@passthelimejuice]

Such an innocent sweety ❤❤

[@fredeemoon6053]

Koko is absolutely amazing......I'm more amazed how she holds a pen , and is able to draw ..l..astounding! 🧡🧡🧡🧡

[@adamdesanti6713]

Koko's thought process is fascinating.

[@precious2833]

waz it only me who was so FREAKIN scared that the balloon might pop and koko will go bonkers

[@chreint3370]

0:35 wow... i thought when she spoke to koko, that it was just like a dog or a cat and it didnt understand anything but only sign language, but when koko responded to "stick out that tongue" it amazed me. God i wish koko still was alive.. Edit: Also when she asks if she can juggle it! wow i need to watch every single koko videe.

[@nathanconner7984]

I don't think most people will ever know how incredible she was!

[@carlasmith4968]

She is so gentle and sweet. Better than some people I know. 💜

[@katsu890]

What a lovely intelligent animal Jimmies are now unrustled

[@melonieashway4189]

Did anyone else hear the emergency broadcast sound at 3:05

[@askapetstorelady8592]

Koko was her Daughter 100%. So, heartwarming... Koko...love 🦍❤😊

[@andreriley7067]

watching this makes me have the biggest smile. it's the cutest thing when she's eating the crayon, and she says the balloon is the same color as her tounge!

[@Caolan114]

its scary how smart and tame she is

[@huntersterling8623]

waiting for the balloon to pop and koko starts killing everyone

[@devinroling5895]

that made me laugh out loud! lol!

[@MissBonchy]

LMFAO!

[@FuttBuckerson]

Okay this gave me quite a laugh,

[@SWLinPHX]

Then you would really know the definition of going "apeshit".

[@devinroling5895]

SWLinPHX I see you on every video about bigfoot, koko, or apes. are you like me and going on an ape video spree after seeing planet of the apes?

[@SWLinPHX]

Wow, Penny asks here to juggle and she does. And if you watch toward the end when the pen isn't making marks on the balloon she "restarts" it again by scratching it on the paper a second. Smart.

[@mollystanton1923]

She was left handed 😍 I am too!! Love u Koko you are missed!!!

[@goognamgoognw6637]

that explains she was above average among her kind.

[@NicoleRymer]

lol koko always makes my day better. she's cute and funny, and very smart. i hope some day she gets a baby. =0)

[@majorziggysanethethinwhite390]

did you see the video where they discuss the different adoption options with her yet? It's really beautiful and amazing how much she wants to be a mother. koko really shows that despite what people say about gorillas, they're not that different from us :)

[@sugardaddyshane3722]

Well..

[@nadialima7513]

OMG I love Koko :-)

[@shariqsonindahouse9663]

This gorilla is 5times stronger than a average human..but yet look how gentle he is with that balloon.. heck even with a ballpoint pen to the balloon, i'm sure i would of not been able to write on the balloon without popping it within a min

[@paulahowell1420]

Oh my goodness how intelligent are animal beings. Super intelligent. Total understatement 😂♥️♥️

[@18aidanme]

Lol at the begining she's like "hold on, gotta scratch my butt".

[@-moondust-]

I have only found Koko and I'm in love! I cannot believe we can talk to her and for her to respond. And her life long partner Michael who rememberd his mother being killed, people may start to understand how smart and amazing animals are if they get to see Koko x

[@shanaiaj]

Awe Koko looks so sweet and lovable

[@jasonthedream]

Beautiful Koko

[@SitiFatimah-zh6ok]

I love koko R I P (23/12/2019)

[@shawnakelson1735]

Oh at least her spirit is finally in heaven and not with these animals her barely gave her a life! Life is purposed to have GOD and love

[@bedshitter6946]

@@shawnakelson1735 Can you fuck off.

[@LittleUni]

I hope Koko wasn't sad when it was time to throw the balloon away once it pops/gets deflated.

[@shawnakelson1735]

She is already sad bc she is alone and a project she is not stupid above all her qualities she feels most of all! She is a true spirit and I pray for her

[@Gabriel-wm6of]

@@shawnakelson1735 she lived a long and beatiful life, in a lot of videos you can see her smilling with people who loved and love her a lot, if there's a heaven, she's there and she is more happy than ever

[@southsynthic7828]

@@Gabriel-wm6of i comepletely agree

[@bedshitter6946]

@@shawnakelson1735 She lived with another gorilla that knew sign language, she was not alone. However sadly he died.

[@MpaYn]

Koko and other non human animals , don't judge others like Humans do. This is what pure, positive , source energy is in flesh. Koko , we miss you.

[@wheniamhome]

a huge favorite. the yellow tongue. outstanding.

[@enigmatroop]

koko is like a big hairy kid. whenever i had a bad day he makes me laugh

[@user82299]

She*

[@Jeff-tj4tx]

i wonder if koko ever went completely apeshit and trashed the entire office?

[@FOHFILMS]

I see what you did there... Apeshit...

[@amberhendershot-nordin1354]

🙈🙉🙊

[@lowqualityshitposts8860]

+Jeff Shes probalby too old now.... but when she was yonger, maybe

[@nkdarkturtle5764]

Probably if that balloon popped.

[@saifalkhaliq7904]

I was hoping that balloon didn't Pop. Bruh filming would've gotten his arm ripped off his shoulder.

[@janinelynnhuarte]

Koko is so cute! And so gentle and sweet! :)

[@SWLinPHX]

She's too old now but she can still adopt. Unbelievable, after four decades there still is no one able to donate a baby gorilla to the world's most famous and communicative gorilla, who has little time left.

[@cheygirl1023]

I want to meet her :)

[@sandralee9155]

marinesis k Me too and hug kiss and play with her and say I Love U Koko

[@Goobagoo]

Shes dead

[@jeffo9396]

@@Goobagoo The original post was made 5 years ago. Koko was still alive.

[@Goobagoo]

@@jeffo9396 I know -_-

[@jeffo9396]

@@Goobagoo So what was the point of your post then?

[@safiyahali6851]

Koko is so friendly, loving and he is really smart

[@connor9568]

she*

[@nekoneko5777]

SHE don't f'cking normalize basis of any kinds of livings are male u nuts

[@QuranwithRain]

thank you koko, for being more human than any human could ever be. you inspire me to love more

[@alisalauzon9291]

Hairy balloon ha.. now I've never seen that before... koko I love you !!! HUGS!!!

[@lettievandermerwe8829]

Is Koko left handed?

[@johanjimenez3094]

Yes

[@qwerty8382]

Yay!

[@Sgtalex-iv6eo]

They recommend me this video one day before her date of death fly high koko 🕊🕊🕊🕊

[@hitballfootler]

That balloon belongs in a museum for modern art.

[@alisonaus2300]

I LOVE Koko so much. ❤ I love her little growls & sticking out her tongue & laughing.....she's like a human in a fur costume. So CLEVER & understands everything ! Awww shame she couldn't hv a baby...

[@yonosoyyometin9105]

Macri approves this

[@andrefortin9392]

i wanna see to golrilas taling with sign lenguage to each other :P that would be awesome

[@Idkwhoiamdawg]

I want to see you learn to spell

[@jonanasbananas2944]

+André Fortin I'd like to see that too, but they don't use language they use when they're around people, with each other. Weird, isn't it?

[@IanT820]

+Chavvy Doncalz 😂😂😂

[@Alex-kp5pq]

JoJosGuideTo happy life, not so. Washoe, for instance (though she was a chimp) did so, and taught it to her child.

[@chewingpeppers]

watching koko's videos makes me feel so happy/calm inside ❤️

[@shayZero]

Koko was the best of us. And its telling that she is not human, if she were she wouldn't of been as incredible. A true pioneer. But all animals are Koko.

[@coolkid149]

Let her be a mother please

[@shawnakelson1735]

Give her a real life

[@RemixedVoice]

She passed away in 2018 at the age of 46

[@bedshitter6946]

@@shawnakelson1735 Can you fuck off.

[@abbiehaywood586]

i really want to meet koko by the way im 9

[@MV-nx5xo]

I do too :) also honey, don't say your age online,ok? ;)

[@is0t0pe55]

Why do kids on KZbin always feel the need to mention their age out if the blue?

[@roblostandlate.6005]

Typo Def. I think it may be an innocent, " look how mature I am for my age " thing, but they certainly should be worded up about the potential dangers.

[@Aliannaxenos]

Abbie Haywood you’re my age now, hello fellow teenager

[@wn947]

"Electrostatic charge" 😂 love the vocab for koko

[@donking4113]

I love Koko to no end. I hope she is in heaven

[@bartmanfantanfart36]

koko was all ike*what the hell this marker dosent taste like bannanas

[@PrimoTerium]

Molitante del Pro

[@marius3817]

+Primo Terium denunciado lince

[@classyandsassy]

Love Penny and Koko

[@mikeyboy3054]

The world could use Koko right now.

[@marilu2494]

I really wonder if a real baby was given to her to hold would she hurt it? or maybe not let go of it? hum🤔

[@brenna8446]

Mari Lu V she would probably care for it, but be too rough. As gorillas usually are with their young.

[@haileymanes2281]

Amanda Joe no u she wants to be a mom and with stuffed gorillas is very sweet to the stuffed gorillas D

[@roblostandlate.6005]

brenya. Watch a video of her with her kittens.

[@goofygrandlouis6296]

You mean Koko is like these urban cat ladies ?

[@stevenday8955]

They gave him a kitten & he loved it. So very sad when kitten died. There's a video where Koko explains how much his heart hurts. Sad but amazing.

[@AwesomeRobot15]

0:47 I thought he was smoking

[@devinroling5895]

koko is a she.

[@christopherargueta8462]

AwesomeRobot15 is she

[@mollymolotov666]

She is so lovable!

[@anisayusrina7263]

I apreciate it, she is smart and amazing. I wish koko has her free life, has a husband, babies and has many gorila friends. Also be able to speak like common gorilas.

[@shawnakelson1735]

I said and wrote the same thing many times but guess they said she passed away now idk

[@bedshitter6946]

@@shawnakelson1735 This is better than your other comments.

[@laumur302]

She respects her art materials--both the pen and the balloon. She understands how much pressure to use etc.; my young toddler son used to join me when I was working on art-school projects in college. He learned to use his materials properly in order to be granted access. I feel Koko understands that idea too.

[@kimsebring2434]

Oh Koko how you are missed!❤️

[@TheBrookeybearlovesy]

She's just so cute!

[@judipodgurski5083]

Put me on that list of people who would love to meet Koko in person. She is so beautiful, and it is wonderful that she can communicate so well. I absolutely ADORE her. She has a beautiful heart, and a lovely disposition. She is a beautiful, loving lady, and I would love to hug her, and have a visit.

[@sarikatimmi]

look how gentle she was. i wldve popped it accidentally moments in

[@srishtichauhan8087]

More gentle than humans. The balloon didn't burst, I was so amazed how careful she is.

[@crinklyonion1410]

“Koko couldn’t actually understand her owners” Koko: Actually responds to complex sentences with a clear thought process.

[@jennwill80]

Amazing animal. And obviously a close relative of humans.

[@IndigoCat17]

I love Ko Ko she's so cute !!

[@laughtoohard9655]

This is what we were before language. I'd love to meet Koko!

[@mikewil3716]

I just love KoKo she is such a smart being

[@nokineeded]

i would like to say congrats to Dr Patterson for her work with Koko over the years and good luck in the future :)

[@looseballs1966]

Koko you are more awesome than most people I see on the street.

[@aimeepearce4706]

I want Koko!!! It's so cute!

[@jessicaharte6627]

she is adorable

[@shahhussainkhan461]

Koko like a very special of every one on that family

[@rylandjohnson231]

Her intelligence is awesome to watch.

[@Z1Hellrider]

Koko the legend.....never forgotten R.I.P

[@freeair9460]

One of the most incredible things I've seen in this world. Animals aren't as dumb as we've been lead to believe

[@justiznliberti]

Everytime i watch koko's videos i cry she amazes me :')