The Gorilla Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Gorilla Foundation, founded in 1976, is a non-profit organization created by Francine Patterson
in order to purchase the young gorilla named Koko
from the San Francisco Zoo
. After the purchase, the foundation continued to support Patterson's research as she taught Koko American Sign Language
. Currently the foundation is continuing its efforts to get Koko to mate and plans to open an ape preserve on the island of Maui
.
The actions of the foundation have been met with criticism by groups who believe it is improper to humanize animals and by researchers who have questioned Patterson's findings with regard to Koko's understanding of language
.
The childless Patterson fed and cared for Koko as she would her own child, and the pair formed a mother/child emotional bond. After purchasing Koko, The Foundation moved her into a trailer near Patterson's home in Woodside, California. Patterson has published several papers claiming that Koko has developed a vocabulary of 1000 to 2000 words and that Koko has invented words and compound words.
Since the 1990s, the Foundation has been raising money to move their operation from its sole location in Woodside, California
, to a new ape preserve
in Maui. They hope that Koko will successfully mate with her partner, Ndume, and spontaneously teach their offspring to use sign language.
on the grounds that the humanization of gorillas would be wrong.
Patterson herself has questioned the ethics of the Foundation's treatment of Koko. During a question-and-answer period, in response to a question as to whether her findings would ever be scientifically proven by duplicating them in an independent experiment, Patterson stated that she believes it would not be ethical to do it again because she believes that it is not right to keep such animals in such unnatural circumstances.
Francine Patterson
Dr. "Penny" Patterson is an American researcher who taught a modified form of American Sign Language, which she calls "Gorilla Sign Language", or GSL, to a gorilla named Koko....
in order to purchase the young gorilla named Koko
Koko (gorilla)
Koko is a female western lowland gorilla who, according to Francine "Penny" Patterson, is able to understand more than 1,000 signs based on American Sign Language, and understand approximately 2,000 words of spoken English....
from the San Francisco Zoo
San Francisco Zoo
The San Francisco Zoo, housing more than 260 animal species, is a zoo located in the southwestern corner of San Francisco, California, between Lake Merced and the Pacific Ocean along the Great Highway...
. After the purchase, the foundation continued to support Patterson's research as she taught Koko American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
. Currently the foundation is continuing its efforts to get Koko to mate and plans to open an ape preserve on the island of Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
.
The actions of the foundation have been met with criticism by groups who believe it is improper to humanize animals and by researchers who have questioned Patterson's findings with regard to Koko's understanding of language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
.
Activities
Patterson had worked with Koko since 1972, when she began teaching the then 1-year-old gorilla American Sign Language. Patterson planned to continue her scientific experiment designed to determine whether, if it were raised using sign language, a gorilla would learn to use language.The childless Patterson fed and cared for Koko as she would her own child, and the pair formed a mother/child emotional bond. After purchasing Koko, The Foundation moved her into a trailer near Patterson's home in Woodside, California. Patterson has published several papers claiming that Koko has developed a vocabulary of 1000 to 2000 words and that Koko has invented words and compound words.
Since the 1990s, the Foundation has been raising money to move their operation from its sole location in Woodside, California
Woodside, California
Woodside is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States, on the San Francisco Peninsula. It uses a council-manager system of government. The U.S. Census estimated the population of the town to be 5,287 in 2010....
, to a new ape preserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in Maui. They hope that Koko will successfully mate with her partner, Ndume, and spontaneously teach their offspring to use sign language.
Opposition and support for the Gorilla Foundation's Activities
The plans were opposed by the San Francisco ZooSan Francisco Zoo
The San Francisco Zoo, housing more than 260 animal species, is a zoo located in the southwestern corner of San Francisco, California, between Lake Merced and the Pacific Ocean along the Great Highway...
on the grounds that the humanization of gorillas would be wrong.
Patterson herself has questioned the ethics of the Foundation's treatment of Koko. During a question-and-answer period, in response to a question as to whether her findings would ever be scientifically proven by duplicating them in an independent experiment, Patterson stated that she believes it would not be ethical to do it again because she believes that it is not right to keep such animals in such unnatural circumstances.