Did you know that gorillas are 98.67% human? This number speaks for itself when it comes to how similar humans and gorillas. We share a strikingly similar genetic code, and this also translates into incredibly similar behaviors.
For instance, gorillas are very good at maintaining long-term relationships and forming families. It’s in their instinct to bond with those who are a part of their lives. What’s more, gorillas who are a part of the same family stay bound for life.
Another thing that makes us alike has to do with female gorillas’ strong maternal instincts. For Koko, the gorilla in the video below, these maternal instincts kicked in after receiving a litter of kittens for her birthday. Since then, Koko has adopted two of the kittens into her family, and the result is going to warm up your heart.
Koko is a great ape who currently lives at The Gorilla Foundation, an organization whose stated mission “to learn about gorillas by communicating with them, and apply the knowledge to advance great ape conservation, education, care, and empathy.”
If you want to see Koko interact with the two kittens and show a level of empathy that is absolutely endearing, check out the video below.
