The animal zone: She's a gentle giant! Adorable video of broody gorilla making friends with a kitten

By Laura Cox

As gorillas go this one’s a bit of a celebrity. Koko is used to being in the spotlight and she found herself back there again when cameras descended on her to capture her picking a kitten to play with.

Staff at the San Francisco Peninsula Humane Society presented Koko with a carry-case holding five different coloured kittens.

The one-time National Geographic cover star, who has a reputation as a feline-friendly primate, looks at the cage with curiosity as a worker encourages her, saying: ‘You can reach in and pick the one you like’.

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Curious: Koko checks out the new arrivals in their cage before reaching in to pick one out

Her enormous paw almost fills the cage as she gently pulls out a small ginger and white-striped kitten named Tigger.

The YouTube sensation has her own channel, with 66 videos which have been viewed more than five million times.

She sits back on her haunches and lifts the kitten to her face for a closer look and, adorably, a quick peck on the whiskers.

Amid delighted coos from staff members, the sound of photographs being taken can be heard, but Koko isn’t put off by the attention.

New friend: She picks out a small ginger and white kitten named Tigger

Heart-warming: Koko lifts the tiny feline up to her lips to give it a quick peck on the whiskers

Her only concern is the tiny feline, whom she grips protectively, allowing it to sniff around and smothering it with hugs and kisses.

Not wanting to risk losing her new playmate, Koko shuts the door to the cage, shielding Tigger’s face to be sure there is no collision.

She then wraps the kitten up in her arms, showing an almost maternal care for it which could be because she is feeling a little broody.

In a video posted on the channel two weeks ago, staff introduced Koko to a toy gorilla, after saying she had shown them through sign language that she wanted to start a family.