Koko, the western lowland gorilla who became world-famous for her use of sign language, died in her sleep on June 19, 2018, at the Gorilla Foundation's preserve in California's Santa Cruz Mountains. She was 46. A Linguistic Prodigy Born Hanabi-ko — Japanese for "fireworks child," a nod to her July 4, 1971 birthdate — Koko was born at the San Francisco Zoo and … [Read more...] about Koko the Gorilla, a Linguistic Pioneer, Passes Away at 46