Gorillas May Be Able To Speak, Study

By Staff Reporter - 17 Aug '15 09:54AM

Koko the gorilla became well-known because she used sign language to communicate with her caretakers. But now, scientists are convinced that maybe she is trying to talk to them.

Scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison say that she is exhibiting signs of speech. After looking at 71 hours of recorded behaviour, researchers found "nine behaviours" that called for "control over her vocalisation and breathing", according to unilad.

Koko has been brought up among humans for four decades.

The idea that apes can relate only through "spontaneous noises" when "surprised" or after seeing a predator, may now be questioned, according to rt.

Although Koko seems a bit atypical, postdoctoral researcher Marcus Perlman claimed that "She doesn't produce a pretty, periodic sound when she performs these behaviours, like we do when we speak. But she can control her larynx enough to produce a controlled grunting sound.

"Koko bridges a gap. She shows the potential under the right environment conditions for apes to develop quite a bit of flexible control over their vocal tract. It's not as fine as human control, but it is certainly control."

Perlman has watched Koko "blow a raspberry" when she wanted a treat, and also saw that she learnt to blow her nose into a tissue and play wind instruments.