Michael's Story, where he signs about his family

Michael grew up with Koko; they learned sign language together, they both painted beautifully, and they became like brother and sister. But Michael didn't come to live with Koko until he was 3 1/2 years old. As an infant in Africa, he lost his parents at the hands of poachers, in the illegal bushmeat trade, and witnessed his own mother's demise. In this clip, Michael responds to a question about his mother with this description of that event — a memory that he conveyed several times, before his own passing in 2000. Michael will be remembered by Koko and everyone at the Gorilla Foundation always — he was a true inspiration.

Lesson: Gorillas can not only use language to communicate their current wants and needs, they can also use it to relate memories. From Michael we learn directly about the tragedy of the bushmeat crisis, which he experienced firsthand as a baby.

Date Added: Mar 23, 2008
Videographer: Ron Cohn

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Koko
• Michael
• GSL
• Gorilla
• Sign
• Language
• Bushmeat
• Killed
• Mother

[toto458]

Please guys, care for the animals cause they have feelings too.

[jedihunter176]

That's freaking traumatizing. Witnessing your mother get shot, get her throat slit (Or shot in the neck), and butchered? Gorillas have to deal with a lot of crap...

[IsaacDeanMusic]

@HopeYouAllGetAIDS I hope you die a painful death. You're disgusting.

[HopeYouAllGetAIDS]

It's so good to see the president's family on youtube.

[Peenut2k7]

Sad story... I'm ashamed that I laughed seeing this on koko.org.

[WhoaLexxi]

@apopheniacMCMLXXXIX

Sign language itself is never really composed of full sentences even when used by humans. It uses individual words and short phrases to communicate. Sign language does not contain articles such as "the, a, an, etc.." so when reading a direct translation of sign language it is always harder to make sense of than written English and just seems like a terrible translation of Chinese or something. Michael is communication at about the level of a young child.

[MrRuhhrohh]

We finally teach an animal to talk.  He tells us he is said because we killed his mother. Nobody listens

[aegisfate117]

@toto458 ...toto458 said, moments before eating a hotdog and putting on his leather belt.

[christajuli]

luckily, the sign language he learned is a media for him to share his traumatic experience. it helps him to cope with the nightmares he's been through...

[jessicavm]

wow poor Michael he was well aware what had happened to his mom, that's very sad...that just proves they have way more understanding than we think