RIP Koko. The first famous non-human selfie.

swanlefitte · 06-21-2018, 09:46 PM

Its sad but i guess 43 is old for a gorilla. Koko the beloved, koko the famous died in her sleep.
Long before the current controversy about who owns a selfie taken by a simian there was koko with her Olympus, (we forgive her). Google Image Result for https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/160728-koko-gorilla-doc-embed3.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&strip=all

**jbinpg** · 06-21-2018, 10:47 PM - **1 Like**

Here is another link focusing on her contributions:

Koko the gorilla has died. Here's how she changed humanity for the better.

Her age at death was 46.

swanlefitte · 06-21-2018, 11:14 PM

Thats a great link.

**clackers** · 06-21-2018, 11:18 PM

Incredible story, Jbinpg ... thanks for posting!

**ffking** · 06-21-2018, 11:25 PM

I was a biology student in the late 1970s and generally interested in all those animal language experiments (though don't recall them coming directly into my course), and it seems so long ago that it never occurred to me that she might have still been alive - so in one sense wow! she did well!, in another the sort of passing of a minor era.

**clackers** · 06-21-2018, 11:43 PM

Originally posted by ffking

I was a biology student in the late 1970s and generally interested in all those animal language experiments (though don't recall them coming directly into my course), and it seems so long ago that it never occurred to me that she might have still been alive - so in one sense wow! she did well!, in another the sort of passing of a minor era.

Did you ever watch Not The Nine O'clock News, FFking?

Koko/Patterson clearly inspired this Rowan Atkinson sketch ...

You Tube

**ffking** · 06-22-2018, 01:15 AM

Originally posted by clackers

Did you ever watch Not The Nine O'clock News, FFking?

Koko/Patterson clearly inspired this Rowan Atkinson sketch ..

I did watch it - I'd totally forgotten that sketch, but it all comes back now - thanks for posting

**BigMackCam** · 06-22-2018, 01:39 AM

Koko had a better camera hold than half the photographers I see out and about these days

**WPRESTO** · 06-22-2018, 04:50 AM

I remember when results of experiments teaching Koko sign language were first published, as I did mention them briefly in an animal behavior course I taught. Even then, at the outset, there were not merely skeptics, but debunkers, and even after Koko learned about 1,000 signs, and demonstrated ability to link two or more in ways that had not been taught, to communicate something that made sense in the context, there are still debunkers who say Koko was merely mimicking what was seen, with no understanding whatever. There will always be people who will draw a sharp line between "man and the animals," allowing nothing human to filter down, nor anything discovered below the line creep into interpreting human behavior.

06-21-2018, 09:46 PM	#1
swanlefitte Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,068	RIP Koko. The first famous non-human selfie. Its sad but i guess 43 is old for a gorilla. Koko the beloved, koko the famous died in her sleep. Long before the current controversy about who owns a selfie taken by a simian there was koko with her Olympus, (we forgive her). Google Image Result for https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/160728-koko-gorilla-doc-embed3.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&strip=all

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06-21-2018, 10:47 PM - 1 Like	#2
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	Here is another link focusing on her contributions: Koko the gorilla has died. Here's how she changed humanity for the better. Her age at death was 46.

06-21-2018, 11:14 PM	#3
swanlefitte Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,068 Original Poster	Thats a great link.

06-21-2018, 11:18 PM	#4
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Incredible story, Jbinpg ... thanks for posting!

06-21-2018, 11:25 PM	#5
ffking Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Old South Wales Posts: 6,038	I was a biology student in the late 1970s and generally interested in all those animal language experiments (though don't recall them coming directly into my course), and it seems so long ago that it never occurred to me that she might have still been alive - so in one sense wow! she did well!, in another the sort of passing of a minor era.

06-22-2018, 01:15 AM	#7
ffking Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Old South Wales Posts: 6,038	Originally posted by clackers Did you ever watch Not The Nine O'clock News, FFking? Koko/Patterson clearly inspired this Rowan Atkinson sketch .. I did watch it - I'd totally forgotten that sketch, but it all comes back now - thanks for posting

06-22-2018, 01:39 AM	#8
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,674	Koko had a better camera hold than half the photographers I see out and about these days

06-22-2018, 04:50 AM	#9
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,108	I remember when results of experiments teaching Koko sign language were first published, as I did mention them briefly in an animal behavior course I taught. Even then, at the outset, there were not merely skeptics, but debunkers, and even after Koko learned about 1,000 signs, and demonstrated ability to link two or more in ways that had not been taught, to communicate something that made sense in the context, there are still debunkers who say Koko was merely mimicking what was seen, with no understanding whatever. There will always be people who will draw a sharp line between "man and the animals," allowing nothing human to filter down, nor anything discovered below the line creep into interpreting human behavior.