Give 'Koko Love' This Valentine's Day

REDWOOD CITY, CA--(Marketwire - February 2, 2010) - This Valentine's Day animal and gorilla lovers can give the gift of art by Koko, delighting your sweetheart while helping save endangered gorillas. Koko, the famous lowland gorilla that communicates using American Sign Language (ASL), has a vocabulary of over 1300 words. Koko loves to express herself through painting as well, and often displays a profound sense of color and motion in her works of art.

Pictured is one of Koko's famous paintings, "Love." Koko's former mate, Michael, was also a gifted artist. He and Koko refer to flowers as "stink." "Stink Gorilla More," is his rendering of a bouquet of flowers that burst with color and joy. The Gorilla Foundation continues to work with Koko on interspecies communication, while treasuring Michael's memory. Both prints are available for purchase here: http://www.koko.org/art. Animal enthusiasts will get a free Koko Plush doll with any purchase of $350 or more, for a limited time. (The endearing Koko Plush can also be purchased separately.)

To view a video of Koko creating art, please visit: http://www.koko.org/art. To request access to high-resolution photos, please contact joanna@kulesafaul.com.

Maui Ape Preserve (MAP)

The Gorilla Foundation is taking a vital step toward saving the gorilla species from extinction with construction of the Maui Ape Preserve (MAP). MAP will serve as a sanctuary for not only Koko, but also other gorillas, and will provide a natural environment for Koko to raise a baby -- an ambassador (and real spokesperson, should Koko teach the baby sign language) to protect the next generation of great apes. The preserve will also educate people on the important lessons learned from interspecies communication to help promote the Gorilla Foundation's mission of conservation through communication.

About The Gorilla Foundation

The Gorilla Foundation is dedicated to the preservation, protection and well being of gorillas through interspecies communication research and education -- conservation through communication. The Foundation was established in 1976 and is best known for its groundbreaking work with two western lowland gorillas, Koko and Michael, who became adept at using American Sign Language. The results are published in numerous research papers, books and videos available in our bibliography.

The Gorilla Foundation is a non-profit 501c3 corporation and is underwritten by donations from individuals, grants from foundations and corporations, and educational product sales. The Foundation receives no support from government sources. Donate here.

Contact Information: Contact: Joanna Kulesa Kulesa Faul, Inc./for The Gorilla Foundation (408) 806-9201