You remember Koko the gorilla, right?
Koko was born in the ’70s at the San Francisco Zoo. Francine (Penny) Patterson, then Ph.D. a candidate at Stanford, she began studying the linguistic abilities of young Koko and eventually taught her a basic version of sign language.
Image via Noé ONG / YouTube.
Over the years, Koko has become known as a gorilla and a spokesman for global conservation efforts. She caught a kitten (several, in fact), helped sell award-winning children’s books, befriended a ton of celebrities, and Dr. Patterson went on to start the Gorilla Foundation.
At 44, Koko is still thriving. And spokes-ape-ing.
In this video collection created by Noé Conservation and released for the 2015 COP21 climate change meeting outside Paris, Koko is seen signing directly to the public. (Note: Koko was coached for this and followed a script, and the video is heavily edited to represent him as someone who understands these issues. While she may be extremely understanding and talented, she is not. gorillas understand environmentalism.)
In the video, Koko tells us that she loves people, and that she loves Earth.
All GIFs via Noé ONG / YouTube.
But then the tone of her message changes.
But, Koko! I thought we were friends …
And Koko ends his message with a gorilla-sized request.
Here is this gorilla – kind, tender, and clearly understanding – wanting not only her handlers, but all of us to clean up our action. Whether it’s protecting biodiversity (such as rare gorilla species), deterring poaching, limiting deforestation, or any of the many issues facing gorillas and other endangered species. danger.
Koko would do it herself, but she can’t … at least not until the gorilla revolution (which is becoming increasingly likely) happens. So for now, she’s doing what good friends (human and gorilla both) do best: Contact each other on their bs
She is right. We need to repair the Earth. We need to help the Earth. Right this second one.
Nearly 200 countries responded to Koko’s call at the COP21 meeting in December on climate change.
196 nations adopted an agreement that set the ambitious goal of halting global warming in average temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius. Given that studies show that we are already halfway there, this agreement would not have come at a better time.
Secretary-General of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Christiana Figueres, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and COP21 President Laurent Fabius, and French President Francois Hollande celebrate after adoption of the climate contract. Photo by Francois Guillot / AFP / Getty Images.
The government of each country has yet to seal the agreement. But if they don’t, they have to deal with the millions of angry citizens, and one gorilla who has been here with their inaction.
What is the sign, “Finish the job or sleep with one eye open, world leaders?”