Koko the gorilla calls for the dentist

[Heddi]

I had to post this because I think the third to last paragraph in the article is just the funniest thing I've ever read

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/08/08/koko.health.ap/index.html

WOODSIDE, California (AP) -- When Koko the gorilla used the American Sign Language gesture for pain and pointed to her mouth, 12 specialists, including three dentists, sprang into action.

The result? Her first full medical examination in about 20 years, an extracted tooth and a clean bill of health.

skip

"She's quite articulate," volunteer Johnpaul Slater said. "She'll tell us how bad she's feeling, how bad the pain is. It looked like it was time to do something."

skip

They crowded around her, and Koko, who plays favorites, asked one woman wearing red to come closer. The woman handed her a business card, which Koko promptly ate.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

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ha ha ha ha I just love that.

[RobertDevereaux]

1. Censored from the story...

...was Koko's call for Bush's defeat! Doesn't pain in the body politic count for anything?

[Beetwasher]

2. Nobody Can Tell Me She's Not a Person

Remarkable!

[Heddi]

3. That gorilla is just amazing

Every once in a while PBS will show the story about her and her trainer and there is just something *there* with that animal. Some people I know (who are quite intelligent, btw) say that what Koko expresses is nothing more than conditioning---basically a big furry Pavlov's dog...just drooling to the sound of the dinner bell because that's what she's been trained to do. HARDLY---this is a sign of intelligence.

Anyone who thinks that animals aren't sentinet beings with thoughts, emotions, pain, joy, and understanding are just being purposefully blind.

Koko should be an inspiration to us all to NEVER let limitations set upon us by ourselves and others stop us from doing what we really want to do.

[htuttle]

6. In any case, sentient or not

She is a lot better off than if she were strapped to a chair and had cans of hairspray sprayed into her eyes before being vivisected...

[Heddi]

7. Well of course she is

My cats are better off in my home than they would be if they were feral on the streets of mexico....

[daleo]

13. The book "When Elephants Weep" is very interesting

It makes the case quite persuasively for animal intelligence and a rich emotional life.

[Teaser]

14. There's no doubt most animals are sentient...

The question is, are they self aware?
And for Koko, the question is: is she really using "language" as we understand it (is she able to come up with new words in a flexible and grammar bound way)?
I think the jury is still out on that one.

[arikara]

15. Actually, she can

I watched a program about her once where she made up a sign for a word and her handlers were able to figure it out. She gestured around her "brows" (eyebrows) when she wanted some food... and they call her food "browse". They were astounded that she put it together like that.

She's amazing.

[Judi Lynn]

18. I'm sure you probably also saw references made to her ability

to combine words she prefers to ones given by the trainers, as in using "water" and "bird" to indicate "duck," and "sweet" and "drink" to indicate "fruit juice" or watermelon, or something.

Wonderful creature.



www.koko.org

[Chelsea Patriot]

4. Glad Someone's getting Health care in this Country!

That being said...What remarkable things we as a people have to learn when we turn away from violence, negativity and destruction!

[Kokonoe]

5. Feels better now.

[glitch]

8. LOL! nt

[enki23]

9. i can buy the "pain" message

but i'm extremely skeptical about the 1-10 scale.

[Bucky]

26. I recall some researcher asking chimps in Ameslan to count

Apparently the chimps couldn't grasp the concept of enumeration. They can count "one" and "many" but don't really get numbers.

[MisterP]

10. she's 33; she can run in 2008.

Koko for President!

[gauguin57]

11. I AIN'T DESCENDED FROM NO MONKEY!

Sorry. I was possessed by a Fundie right-winger for a minute there! Brrrrr!

I'm proud to share any part of my family tree with Koko!

[HereSince1628]

12. Back when I read & cared, about such things Gorrillas were more advanced

well at least in their teeth, when were apparently specialized whilst human teeth are generalized. Specificity being seen as an advance sort of thing.

I'm not saying this hasn't changed since I gave up on this area of knowledge, but it was interesting to think about humans as being less than the most advanced type of Ape.

[TahitiNut]

16. Is that why Smirk released his dental records?

:silly:

[Ladyhawk]

17. Alex the African grey parrot

I am very interested in studies about teaching human language to animals. Alex is truly amazing. And yes, he makes up his own words. One of the most amusing was "corknut" for an almond in the shell. How clever!

I am owned by a parrot and can vouch for their intelligence. Alex can vouch for his own intelligence.

http://www.alexfoundation.org

Interesting video of Dr. Irene Pepperberg, Alan Alda and Alex the African grey: http://www.pbs.org/saf/1201/video/watchonline.htm?user8=pbs-saf&template8=publishmain.html&query8=scientific+american&squery8=squery%3D%252BClipID%3A4%2B%252BVideoAsset%3Apbssaf1201&select7=2670149&submit8=GO

(Just now watching it for the first time...very cool!)

[MaryH]

19. Remember the Gorilla that

picked up the small child who had fallen into her enclosure and carefully carried him up to the gate so the handler could get him?

She even chased off on juvenile male who was being a big deal at the time.

[davsand]

20. Most people do't get THAT level of care.

"Twelve specialists -- a Stanford cardiologist, three anesthesiologists, three dentists, an ear and throat specialist, two veterinarians, a gastroenterologist and a gynecologist -- volunteered to help."

OK--I think it is great that she's able to function at that level, and I take great joy in knowing that our primate cousins are able to function at a higher level than we originally thought.

Having said that, I gotta say I find it appalling that a human being (MOST of them in the world!) can't GET dental care, let alone treatment from specialists under our current health care system. (I'm delighted for the Gorilla, however, so don't jump all over me--OK?)

Gawd, our system is just a huge CF.


Laura

[Moderator]

21. Heddi

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.


Thank you.

DU Moderator

[Heddi]

22. Not trying to be argumentative

But I did post less than 4 paragraphs. if you look at the "paragraphs", they're no more than 1, maybe 2 sentences long each.

But I'm not trying to give ya a hard time----I was an LBN mod for I think 3 terms, so I'm not tryin' to get anyone's goat...I thought that because they were less paragraphs (with multiple sentences) and more individual sentences that I was adhering to the LBN rule

:)

Have a great one :)

[callous taoboy]

23. Koko. Yeah, that chimp's all right. High five.

[banana republican]

24. Who is she voting for???? Definitely more intelligent than republicans

[arikara]

25. Koko for president!

She's a smarter, more compassionate and ten times more articulate than that pathetic moran of a chimp.

[Zomby Woof]

27. my favorite pic of Koko

I am happy to hear she is healthy, and as feisty as ever. :-)