Final answer:
Koko was a gorilla who communicated using sign language, her skills spurred debate about animal communication versus human language, and while her abilities were disputed, they offered valuable insights into primate cognition.
Step-by-step explanation:
Koko was a female gorilla known for her ability to communicate using a form of American Sign Language, which her trainer, Dr. Francine Patterson, referred to as Gorilla Sign Language. Taught by Patterson, Koko was reported to use about a thousand signs and to have the communication capabilities roughly equivalent to that of a three-year-old human child. Koko's use of sign language raised questions about the cognitive and communicative abilities of nonhuman primates and their capacity for language, thereby becoming an important figure in the debate over animal communication versus human language systems.
While Koko was able to create signs, joke, lie, and even exhibit memories of past events, which suggested a depth of cognitive abilities, these abilities have been disputed by some researchers. Many linguists are skeptical, pointing out that Koko’s reported linguistic feats often relied heavily on Patterson’s subjective interpretation.
Despite the controversies, Koko's interactions and the data collected from her life have been invaluable to our understanding of primate cognitive abilities and have sparked further research into the communication potential of other great apes, such as bonobos and chimpanzees.