Dear Koko Supporter,

The above video captures the playful bond between young gorillas Koko and Michael as they wrestle and engage in a spirited game of hide-and-seek!

Mike joined Koko when he was just 3 years old, and she was 5, and the two quickly developed a strong family connection. Watch as they take turns hiding under a blanket or a black tub, eagerly waiting to be discovered by the other.

This playful behavior not only highlights their close relationship but also demonstrates their cognitive ability to understand object permanence and theory of mind.

Object Impermanence: For example, Koko knows Michael is still there even when he’s covered by a tub (and vice versa).

Theory of Mind: For example, Koko and Michael know that their playmate has a mind like their own, and uses that to guess their thoughts.

These are skills that develop in human children between 5 months – 5 years.

Thanks for watching and learning with us about gorillas, as we study and analyze our Project Koko Video Archive (KokoArc).

Every week we learn more about how alike our two species are, and how much we have to learn from one other — knowledge that can literally save both our species!

Conservation through Communication

The Gorilla Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Our Federal Tax ID is: 942-38-6151