The entire world is in mourning this week after the tragic death of someone who was beloved by millions of people.

Koko the gorilla, who shattered records by completely mastering sign language and communicating with humans, just passed away at the age of 46.

?Sad news as we learn that Koko the gorilla has passed. The following is The Gorilla Foundation’s press release. #ripkoko .
The Gorilla Foundation is sad to announce the passing of our beloved Koko. Koko — the gorilla known for her extraordinary mastery of sign language, and as the primary ambassador for her endangered species — passed away yesterday morning in her sleep at the age of 46. . Koko touched the lives of millions as an ambassador for all gorillas and an icon for interspecies communication and empathy. She was beloved and will be deeply missed. . Koko, a western lowland gorilla, was born Hanabi-ko (Japanese for “Fireworks Child”) on July 4, 1971 at the San Francisco Zoo. Dr. Francine “Penny” Patterson began working with Koko the next year, famously teaching her sign language. Dr. Patterson and Dr. Ronald Cohn moved Koko and the project to Stanford in 1974 and went on to establish The Gorilla Foundation. While at Stanford the project expanded to include a second western lowland gorilla, Michael. In 1979 Koko and The Gorilla Foundation moved to the Santa Cruz Mountains where Ndume joined them as a fellow ambassador for their species. . Koko’s capacity for language and empathy has opened the minds and hearts of millions. She has been featured in multiple documentaries and appeared on the cover of National Geographic twice. The first cover, in October of 1978, featured a photograph Koko had taken of herself in a mirror. The second issue, in January of 1985, included the story of Koko and her kitten, All Ball. Following the article, the book Koko’s Kitten was published and continues to be used in elementary schools worldwide. Her impact has been profound and what she has taught us about the emotional capacity of gorillas and their cognitive abilities will continue to shape the world. . The foundation will continue to honor Koko’s legacy and advance our mission with ongoing projects including conservation efforts in Africa, the great ape sanctuary on Maui, and a sign language application featuring Koko for the benefit of both gorillas and children.

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Born on July 4, 1971, at the San Francisco Zoo, Koko began mastering sign language from an early age. From the time she was very young, zoo workers realized that she was exceptionally intelligent, and she was placed under the care of psychologist Penny Patterson.

RIP #Koko, the sign language gorilla she was 46 years old At birth, she was named #Hanabiko — Japanese for “fireworks child,” because she was born on the Fourth of July in 1971. Here she is with Robin Williams. #RobinWilliams #KokoTheGorilla ?

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One of Koko’s favorite things to do was have stories read to her, and she would often make purring sounds when she liked a part of the book.

RIP Koko. You will be missed. #koko #kokothegorilla #rip ❤

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“Her impact has been profound and what she has taught us about the emotional capacity of gorillas and their cognitive abilities will continue to shape the world,” the Gorilla Foundation said in a statement.

During her life, Koko mastered over 1,000 American sign language signs and earned worldwide acclaim for  accurately being able to communicate with humans. On top of that, she could also play the recorder!

RIP #KokoTheGorilla ?? . _ Koko, the gorilla famous for learning sign language, passed away yesterday. _ Thank you Koko for teaching humans what #Humanity really means. The message in this video is everything. We must listen and act before it’s too late. You will forever be missed Koko ? . _ #a_lallie_ Video credit to owner ©

A post shared by A Lallie, UK (@a_lallie_) on Jun 21, 2018 at 2:08am PDT

Koko will be dearly missed by millions of people all over the globe. Find out more about her in the video below, and SHARE this story so your friends and family can see this as well!