Video: Koko the gorilla adopts two kittens

Video: Koko the gorilla adopts two kittens

In celebration of her 44th birthday, Koko the gorilla was visited by a litter of kittens before adopting two into her family.

"Koko fell in love with one, and the other fell in love with her," her carers write in the video.

Posted by kokoflix on YouTube, the video shows the ape gently picking up and petting one of the kittens, named Ms Grey.

In the footage, a brown-and-black tabby kitten – Ms Black – is also seen desperately trying to climb out of a cat carrier in order to reach Koko.

These two aren't the first Koko has adopted; she got her first kitten when she was 12 years old, in 1983. Sadly, the kitten she named All Ball was struck by a car and died after only six months together.

When Koko first picks up Ms Grey, her trainer notices on the similarities between the little grey kitten and All Ball.

Koko is famous worldwide for knowing more than 1000 hand signs based on American Sign Language and understanding more than 2000 spoken English words. She is also able to adapt the signs she uses to convey the messages she wants.

As she adopted the two kittens into her family, the ape signed "cat" and "baby".

Her carers say Koko and the two kittens are becoming a "happy family".

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