New giant apes found in Africa

Scientists say they have discovered a new group of giant apes in the jungles of central Africa.
They were spotted in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo, reports the BBC.  The animals showed characteristics of both gorillas and chimpanzees and could be one of the most important wildlife discoveries in decades.

Local villagers claimed the apes were ferocious, and even capable of killing lions.
They stand up to two meters tall, the size of gorillas, and like gorillas, they nest on the ground, not in trees.
But they live hundreds of miles from any other known gorilla populations, and their diet is closer to that of chimpanzees.

New Scientist, which is to publish a report about the mysterious creatures, says it "reveals just how much we still have to learn about our closest living relatives".

Primatologist Shelly Williams captured them on video and located their nests during a visit to DR Congo two years ago.
She told New Scientist: "Four suddenly came rushing out of the bush towards me. If this had been a bluff charge, they would have been screaming to intimidate us.
"These guys were quiet. And they were huge. They were coming in for the kill. I was directly in front of them, and as soon as they saw my face, they stopped and disappeared."

* Text and images are copyrighted by their owners and may not be used without prior agreement.

Mystery
The discovery has baffled scientists. There are three controversial possibilities to explain the origin of the mystery apes:
*They are a new species of ape
*They are giant chimpanzees, much larger than any so far recorded, but behave like gorillas
*They could be hybrids, the product of gorillas mating with chimpanzees.

So far, researchers have little to go on, but they now plan to return to northern DR Congo to study the apes further. In the meantime, there are fears that unless measures are taken to protect them, poaching could threaten this new group of primates before the mystery of their identity is resolved. "This is a lawless area," says Kenyan-based Swiss photographer Karl Ammann, who tipped Ms Williams off about the apes. "The government has practically no control over hunting. If we found something interesting it would attract more investment. People would be more interested in conserving it."

Sources: Ananova, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3730574.stm

This is the MSNBC article from 9/25/03:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3088063/

Zoo testing DNA of mystery apes  Sept 23rd, 2003 Creatures could be new species or subspecies in the Congo   Ed Louis, a conservation geneticist at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, conducts a DNA analysis that could reveal the origins of large, mysterious African apes.   By Barry Bedlan ASSOCIATED PRESS OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 23 —  Scientists hope DNA analysis will reveal the origins of large, mysterious apes discovered in the heart of Africa.

			GENETICS RESEARCH has begun at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo on fecal samples collected this summer from the rare apes to determine if they make up a new species, a new subspecies or some form of hybrid — possibly a mix between a chimpanzee and a gorilla.        “It’s a new, mystery ape, and we are doing the DNA fingerprinting to find out more,” said Dr. Lee Simmons, zoo director.        The apes, which stand 5 to 6 feet tall (1.5 to 2 meters) and have feet nearly 14 inches (36 centimeters) long, were first documented last year by Atlanta primatologist Shelly Williams in a forest in the northern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.        They have bodies similar to those of gorillas, but generally the facial characteristics of a chimpanzee. Williams said the animals sleep on the ground at night like gorillas, but eat a fruit-rich diet like chimpanzees.        “I can’t speculate yet as to what they are. Their behavior is so unusual. It’s a puzzle. ... I feel like Dr. Doolittle in the land of Oz,” said Williams, who has captured some video of the animals but no photographs.        Because of their size and elusiveness, the apes have no predators — not even poachers hunt them, Williams said. With no fear of lions, leopards or hyenas, the large animals hoot at the moon as it rises and sets, which is extremely unusual for apes, she said.        “The people are very afraid of them. They call them the ‘lion killers’ because they are huge creatures,” Williams said. “The folklore is they could kill lions.”         FECAL SAMPLES ANALYZED        Williams collected fecal samples from the animals’ nests before returning in June from her most recent trip to the Congo. In August, she delivered those samples to the Omaha zoo, where they are being compared with the DNA of captive gorillas, bonobos (pygmy chimps), and chimps, said Ed Louis, a conservation geneticist leading the research at the Omaha zoo.
			Mapping DNA        “If this ends up being a new species of ape, that would be amazing. Even if it’s a hybridization, that would be fascinating,” Louis said. “However, at this point we don’t even know what we’re dealing with.”        Biologically, it is possible for a chimpanzee and a gorilla to have viable, fertile offspring, Williams said.        The DNA analysis is expected to take months. However, it may be impossible to determine the apes’ entire ancestry without getting a sample of blood or tissue.         MORE SPECIMENS SOUGHT        Louis plans to join Williams on her next trip to the Congo, likely in November, to collect more specimens for DNA analysis.
	Primatologist Shelly Williams displays a plaster cast she took of a footprint of an elusive strain of ape sighted in Africa.		“Without getting your hands on the animal, it’s difficult to say what it is,” said Louis, who in recent years has identified several new species of monkeylike lemurs in Madagascar through his genetic research.        Williams did collect hair from the apes’ nests, but none of the samples included follicles, which are needed for extracting cells for DNA research. She also made molds of the apes’ large footprints found in mud near the nests. The footprints were nearly 2 inches (5 centimeters) larger than the average length of a gorilla’s foot, which is about 12 inches (30 centimeters) long.        What makes the gorillalike apes even more unusual is that the closest gorillas documented in that part of Africa are thousands of miles away, Williams said.        “The possibility is there that this is a new species due to isolation,” she said.
			The last discovery of a great ape was in 1902, when mountain gorillas were found in the Virunga Volcanoes, where the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda meet.        Russell Mittermeier, president of Conservation International, a Washington-based organization that focuses its energy and resources on biodiversity conservation, has assisted in the discovery of six new species of monkeys and marmosets in the Brazilian Amazon. He is not ruling out the possibility that the apes Williams is studying make up a new species.        “If this turns out to be a new species of ape, it would be one of the big discoveries of primatology,” he said. “It has been so long since there has been a distinct discovery.”                © 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

this website and domain hosted flawlessly by http://www.DelawareWebs.com Delaware Webs