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Michael's Bio
Michael came to The Gorilla Foundation from Vienna in 1976 at the age of 3, having been born in Cameroon, Africa. Although originally intended as Koko's mate,
it eventually became apparent that he and Koko had developed a sibling relationship instead.
Always bright and curious, Michael learned over 20 signs during his first year with The Gorilla Foundation and developed a vocabulary
of more than 600 signs by the time he reached adulthood. He was the only "talking" gorilla in the world besides Koko, his female counterpart.
Unfortunately, Michael passed away suddenly on April 19, 2000.
See Michael's Memorial for details.
Michael was a "great ape" in every sense, and he has left a legacy that will live on indefinitely. We at The Gorilla Foundation miss him dearly.
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Date of Birth: |
March 17, 1973 (unofficial) |
Place of Birth: |
Cameroon, Africa |
Date of Death: |
April 19, 2000 (Age: 27) |
Hair Color: |
Black with reddish hair on his head and a silver back |
Eye Color: |
Light brown |
Height: |
Approximately 6'0" |
Weight: |
450 pounds |
Vocabulary: |
Used over 600 signs |
Favorite color: |
Yellow |
Favorite Foods: |
Nuts, apples, peanut butter sandwiches |
Favorite Shows: |
"Sesame Street" and "Mister Rogers" |
Favorite Toy: |
Construction pipes |
Favorite Music: |
Opera by Luciano Pavarotti |
Favorite Activities: |
Playing with sounds and rhythms, playing chase, looking at pictures |
Family Members: |
No known relatives (parents believed to have
been killed by poachers) |
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