The Koko gorilla is famous for being extremely intelligent because it has learned a large number of hand signs from a modified version of American Sign Language. But she’s less known for loving children, even though she hasn’t had the chance to have any of her own. As observed, she often signs the word “baby” by holding the gorilla doll in her arms and even pretends that her doll can signal by moving her arms and hands.

So to celebrate the gorilla’s 44th birthday, her trainer Francine Patterson brought her a gift, a litter of kittens. During her first encounter with the kittens, she made the sign for “cat”, then “baby” with the aim of telling her trainers that the kittens now her adopted child. She also asked in sign language to put one of the kittens on her head.

Mothering Instinct: Koko was filmed ѕіɡnіnɡ ‘cat’ during enсoᴜnteг. It seems that Koko has found her maternal instinct when meeting these little cats.

This act of holding is Koko’s way of expressing the word “baby” which she usually signals. She often holds her gorilla doll the same way a mother gorilla holds their babies. Koko was filmed as being presented with a crate containing the kittens at the foundation’s facility in Woodside, California. She peeked inside the barrel. Because her giant hands are the size of kittens, Koko is incredibly gentle with little kittens when they are housed in a cardboard box. She even carefully flicked a finger in to remove them.

The video also shows Koko undressing before trying to pick up one of the kittens, as a way to give the kittens a chance to acclimate to her first. Then she lifted a small gray kitten in her hand. After bringing the cat closer to its face for a closer look, the gorilla stroked the cat with its index finger before tucking it under its coat for a cuddle. Then another kitten in the crate also tried to get out of the animal bag to hug the great ape. The video ends with a cat being placed on her head as well as the emotional moment Koko uses sign language to show that the cats are her babies.

The adorable video was posted to YouTube via the Kokoflix account and further demonstrates Koko’s ‘greatest wish’ to have a baby of her own.In addition, the information provided with the video. says that the gorilla and two kittens are now part of a happy family.

According to Koko’s trainer, the gorilla in particular can understand more than 1,000 signs of what Patterson calls ‘Gorilla Sign Language’. Koko was also exposed to spoken English at an early age and is said to be able to understand around 2,000 words of the spoken language.

Koko was given a cardboard box containing the kittens at the foundation’s facility in Woodside, California

Birthday Gift: To celebrate Koko’s 44th birthday, Francine Patterson, Koko’s trainer, on behalf of the Gorilla Foundation, brought her a big gift, kittens. Above, Koko is captured on video holding a small gray kitten in her arms

Koko gestured that one of the cats was on top of her – and it was. Then she said that the animals were her children

According to the information provided with the video, posted to YouTube through the Kokoflix account, the gorilla and the two kittens are now part of a happy family. Above, Koko snuggles with the gray cat she’s particularly attached to

The gorilla caressed the gray cat with its index finger before hugging it

According to Koko’s trainer, the ape in particular can understand more than 1,000 signs of what Patterson calls “Gorilla Sign Language”. Besides writing next to the video, the Kokoflix account shared: “Koko has a birthday wish for this July 4th, not only a visiting kitten but a whole litter. Koko loves cats, Koko received it. These two kittens have joined her family and it has energized her world.Not only is Koko’s motherly and playful instincts rekindled, but she’s also more interested in those little ones. caretakers and creates new content every day that The Gorilla Foundation can use to create empathy for the great apes.”

The organization noted that the new content could benefit both free-living great apes and those in captivity. And that encourages the development of two-way communication with their caregivers, something Koko has had since childhood.

Koko, who was born at the San Francisco Zoo, has spent most of her life at The Gorilla Foundation in Woodside. According to the foundation’s weЬѕіte, she spent a lot of her time with two male gorillas, but did not mate with either. She formed a sibling relationship with one that died in 2000 and has yet to show any interest in mating with the other, despite getting along well with them. She is also living in an unnatural social situation and attempts to bring other female gorillas into the family seem to have failed.

Koko has been exposed to spoken English since childhood and seems to be able to understand 2,000 words of the spoken language.

A post on the website reads: “Koko’s biggest wish is to have a child of her own. We’ve known this for years, as she often signs from BABY and holds her gorilla dolls the way gorilla mothers hold their babies. She even pretends that her dolls can gesture by squeezing their arms and hands while playing or answering questions.”