|
|||||
About Apes
Are apes monkeys?
Many people confuse apes with monkeys, but they are quite different. There are hundreds of species of monkeys and only 19 species of apes. Gibbons and siamangs claim 13 of these ape species and the other 6 are great apes. There is no single unique feature that defines an ape, rather a suite of distinguishing characteristics. Ape bodies are quite different from those of other primates: apes are generally bigger than monkeys, have a broad chest and don’t have tails. Apes’ arms are considerably longer than their legs. Great apes also have relatively large brains and long infancies and maturation periods.
Who are the Apes?
Apes are our closest living relatives. Apes are split into two different groups: greater and small, or “lesser”, apes. The great apes include gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans. The smaller apes are gibbons and siamangs. Gibbons, siamangs and orangutans are found in southeast Asia while gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos live in western and central Africa. All apes are primarily vegetarians, although chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans do eat some animal protein.
| Characteristic | Bonobo | Chimpanzee | Gorilla | Orangutan | Gibbon/Siamang |
| Where does it live? | The bonobo is found in only one country in Africa: the Democratic Republic of Congo. See range map. | Africa: The chimpanzee has the largest range of any African ape, from Mali in the west to Tanzania in the east. See range map. | West and Central Africa, from Nigeria in the west to Rwanda and Uganda in the east. See range map. | Asia, specifically the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. See range map. | Asia, including Thailand, Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and China. See range map. |
| How big is it? (average weight) |
Males: 85 lbs Females: 70 lbs |
Males: 90–132 lbs Females: 70–100 lbs |
Males: 350–400 lbs Females: 150–200 lbs |
Males: 175–200 lbs Females: 70–100 lbs |
Males: 12 (gibbon)–28 (siamang) lbs Females: 13 (gibbon)–24 (siamang) lbs |
| How many types are there? | There is one species of bonobo | There is one species and 4 subspecies of chimpanzee | There are two species and 4 subspecies of gorillas | There are two species of orangutans | Most scientists recognize 13 species in 4 genera. Siamangs are the only species in their genus, and there are three genera of gibbons. |
| What does it eat? | Mainly fruit but also seeds, flowers, leaves, etc | Mainly fruit but also flowers, seeds, etc. Some groups regularly hunt and eat meat | Primarily leaves, stems, roots | Almost entirely fruit | Primarily fruit, but also flowers, seeds, leaves |
| What type of group does it live in? | Groups can contain 10–120 individuals. Whole group is rarely together but usually found in subgroups that can change membership daily. Males tend to stay in their group for life while females leave. | Groups can contain 20–130 individuals (average 35). Whole group is rarely together but usually found in subgroups that can change membership daily. Males tend to stay in their group for life while females leave. | Groups can contain from 4 to 58 individuals (average 8–11). Close knit family groups; generally only one adult male per group except in mountain gorillas; males can be solitary. Both males and females leave their groups. | Primarily solitary, although seen in groups of 2–3 if food is plentiful | Primarily monogamous family groups, although groups with more than one adult female, or more than one adult male, have been observed in some species |
© 2009 Ape TAG®