Even Koko the Gorilla Mourned Robin Williams Today

One of the things that makes the death of Robin Williams so hard to take is that it seems he touched everyone's life in some way...even animals.

Koko the gorilla, who famously learned to communicate with humans using sign language, met Williams back in 2001. Dr. Penny Patterson, Koko's foster mother, said that the gorilla "instantly connected" with the actor.

"Koko, like us, can sense a person’s nature," Patterson said, "and in this case, she was quickly drawn to Robin’s warm heart."

According to a spokesperson for the Gorilla Foundation, Patterson broke the news today to Koko: "We have lost a dear friend today, Robin Williams," she explained. At this, Koko was "quiet and looked very thoughtful" before signing the words "woman" and "crying."

"Koko became very somber, with her head bowed and her lip quivering," the source said.

The Gorilla Foundation released photos of Koko as she learned the news, and they are absolutely heartbreaking.

The group also released a video of Williams' meeting with Koko, showing that his warmth and humor even crossed species lines. Watch below: