This one caught me a bit off guard.
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.
About a month ago, Koko, a 300-plus-pound ape who became famous for mastering more than 1,000 signs, began telling her handlers at the Gorilla Foundation in Woodside she was in pain. They quickly constructed a pain chart, offering Koko a scale from one to 10.
When Koko started pointing to nine or 10 too often, a dental appointment was made. And because anesthesia would be involved, her handlers used the opportunity to give Koko a head-to-toe exam.
It's reallt quite spectacular that we can communicate with primates this way. I don't think it gets enough mention in our society.
Comments (2)
It's not only primates - it's other animals too. And if we payed too much attention to it, we'd never be able to sleep knowing how we torture them.
Posted by eRobin | August 9, 2004 6:58 PM
Posted on August 9, 2004 18:58
I know.
Posted by sean | August 10, 2004 10:05 AM
Posted on August 10, 2004 10:05