When Koko Met Ndume

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Published 2011-12-05

Ndume is a male gorilla who came to live with Koko when he was 10 years old, in 1991, from the Cincinnati Zoo. Koko selected him via a process similar to "video dating" and when they first met, it didn't take long at all before they became comfortable with each other. This video shows their first meeting, and how Ndume has developed into a large, powerful — yet patient and sweet — silverback gorilla.

All Comments (21)

@jonwinterfell51 6 years ago

Lmao koko was picking guys like tinder!!😂😂😂
@SWLinPHX 10 years ago

Koko: Don't run away, I just want to looooove you! Ndume: You stay away from me, crazy woman!
@sammyeow 7 years ago

i think koko is more "civilized" than him she was probably questioning why he was scared. Maybe she thought he could speak sign language too
@B.treveton 7 years ago

i thinks its incredible that she is able to understand television. shes able to realise that they are just images and understands the concept
@SWLinPHX 9 years ago

OMG, they should have a spin-off of "The Bachelorette" where Koko gets like 15 male gorillas to choose from in the beginning and at the end of the episode each week she gives a banana to the ones she wants to stay until she finds her mate. I'd watch.
@SWLinPHX 9 years ago

Damn, everyone Koko loves either rejects her or dies. Poor girl.
@sweetwillow 7 years ago

That footage of Ndume at the end all alone! So sad 😭 I think the real experiment here is that Koko got so smart, she can't find a mate who can keep her interested 😂
@emilygifford5627 10 years ago

That's like online dating....
@tokyo9459 6 years ago

When she kissed it I fucking died. 😍😭
@Remington-wl7jp 5 years ago

The fact that Koko was able to grasp the concept of love is absolutely amazing. These animals really are something special.
@LeeeroyJenkems 6 years ago

So Koko basically invented Tinder is what you are saying...and I coulda told Ndume that move doesn't work. It took me years to figure out throwing balls at chicks doesn't turn them on.
@calbreeden3608 9 years ago

I hate seeing animals captive but lucky koko has good caretakers. Watching Koko videos just inspire me.
@Agforever12 5 years ago

Wow Koko was straight up savage she really just friend zoned Micheal 😂
@Mariomaniac37 9 years ago

Friend zoned.
@khschoenfeld 9 years ago

Poor Koko. On first sight he reacted like "Her? No WAY!! She's old... and fat". And so she ended up as a single cat lady. But she was friends with Robin Williams and that's something...
@LivingwithmonkeysMonkeyMom 8 years ago

Ndume Is absolutley Beautiful, As is Koko!
@benm5221 5 years ago

Rest In Peace, Koko. You were a wonderful being and an amazing teacher. Hope you found Robin and your others friends already up there with you.
@tuesdaypatience 6 years ago

I've always wondered why they never tried artificial insemination with Koko. She wanted to be a mother so so badly, but she just never formed a mating bond with a male. It seems like perhaps they just thought that was too much of an unnatural way for her to become a mother. I don't know enough about gorillas - maybe the lack of a family group would have affected her ability to get through a pregnancy and to raise a baby. Koko was two years older than me. I learned sign language in high school and have kept it up throughout my life. She was simply the most amazing creature. The world mourns her passing.
@WhiteRabbitTricks 4 years ago

She is too smart. He was intimidated by her. Knowledge is power.
@TzukiSora 10 years ago

At the end of the video, Ndume was all like: "This is mah cape!"