Dr. Francine Patterson ~ photographs by Ronald H. Cohn
I'm out of pocket today, so I'll just post a few images from the book Koko's Kitten. Any child of the 70s and 80s knows the story of Koko, the orphaned gorilla child who was taught to speak sign language and communicate with humans.
All ethical questions aside, you have to admit Koko's communication skills have been hugely influential on the study of gorillas and the origins of humanity. No matter how you swing it, it's a profoundly life-altering concept to contemplate.
This is the sweet, but heartbreaking tale of Koko and her pet kitten, All Ball (Koko named it herself). The joy she feels upon receiving it as a gift and the grief when the animal is inadvertently run over by a car. If nothing else, this story illustrates how closely linked we as human beings are to these incredible creatures.
The book is still in print, and this month, Koko celebrated her 40th birthday.
Bless her heart.
Read along on Facebook, tumblr, Twitter and Etsy!