Society & Politics

Should gorillas be given personhood status?

Should gorillas be given personhood status?

I present this individual for your consideration: She communicates in sign language, using a
vocabulary of over 1,000 words. She also understands spoken English, and often carries on
'bilingual' conversations, responding in sign to questions asked in English. She is learning the
letters of the alphabet, and can read some printed words, including her own name. She has
achieved scores between 85 and 95 on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test. Her name is Koko, a lowland gorilla. Koko's scores on different tests administered between 1972 and 1977 yielded an average IQ of 80.3

She demonstrates a clear self-awareness by engaging in self-directed behaviours in front of a
mirror, such as making faces or examining her teeth, and by her appropriate use of selfdescriptive language. She lies to avoid the consequences of her own misbehaviour, and
anticipates others' responses to her actions. She engages in imaginary play, both alone and with others. She has produced paintings and drawings which are representational. She remembers and can talk about past events in her life. She understands and has used appropriately timerelated words like 'before', 'after', 'later', and 'yesterday'.

She laughs at her own jokes and those of others. She cries when hurt or left alone, screams
when frightened or angered. She talks about her feelings, using words like 'happy', 'sad',
'afraid', 'enjoy', 'eager', 'frustrate', 'mad' and, quite frequently, 'love'. She grieves for those she
has lost- a favourite cat who has died, a friend who has gone away. She can talk about what
happens when one dies, but she becomes fidgety and uncomfortable when asked to discuss her own death or the death of her companions. She displays a wonderful gentleness with kittens and other small animals. She has even expressed empathy for others seen only in pictures.

Should gorillas be given personhood status?
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