Friday, June 30, 2006

The Bili Ape Identified

In earlier entries, I've discussed the possibility of an unknown species of African apes, raised by observations near the town of Bili in the Congo. Now an extensive study by a team led by Cleve Hicks from the University of Amsterdam has confirmed the animals involved are chimpanzees, not a new species.
They are, however, very strange chimpanzees, and will bear further study. The Bili animals are considerably larger than normal for chimps, and the males sport sagittal crests like those of gorillas. Some groups act as if they have never seen a human being. Hicks said, "It's fantastic. They surround us and show curiosity - even the adult males."

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