Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks

Gr 7 Up—This documentary is a heart-warming account of the relationship between Penny Patterson, a psychologist, and her pupil for more than 40 years, Koko the gorilla. In 1971, Patterson, a student at Stanford University, asked the San Francisco Zoo authorities for permission to teach sign language to one of their gorillas. She was interested in bridging the communication gap between humans and animals. Her scientific experiment in teaching sign language to a baby gorilla turned into a lifelong commitment. However, the path to securing full access to Koko away from the zoo was paved with one obstacle after another. Eventually, Patterson was granted permission, but she cites the constant struggle to care for Koko, who lives in her own mobile home—a staff makes and brings her food to eat throughout the day. Project Koko is now the world's longest ape-language study. While the film appears to be more focused on the longevity of the research and the relationship between Koko and Patterson, there is brief mention of regret that Koko was denied the experience of motherhood. Educators will observe that no sign language experts were interviewed to verify actual progress in the past few decades, and the quality of care Koko has received is barely addressed. Nevertheless, young viewers will likely find this film compelling, as Koko has been out of the limelight for a while.