New Species Of Extinct Ape
New species of extinct ape discovered in tomb of ancient Chinese noblewoman.
A new species of ape has been discovered in tomb of ancient Chinese noblewoman.
source : bbc .com
High-tech computer modelling shows the ape is a new species and genus of gibbon, which probably survived until a few hundred years ago.
"All of the world's apes - chimpanzees, gorillas, orang-utans and gibbons - are threatened with extinction today due to human activities, but no ape species were thought to have become extinct as a result of hunting or habitat loss," said lead researcher Dr Samuel Turvey.
The variety of gibbon were unearthed in a “grave menagerie” from a 2200-year-old tomb in the ancient capital city of Chang’an.
In China's history, gibbons were considered “statuesque” animals and were often kept as pets. The ancient grave also contained the skeletons of bears, lynx, leopards, cranes and domestic animals.
Gibbon likely belonged to Lady Xia, grandmother of China's first emperor, but its species appears to have been driven to extinction by deforestation.
Gibbons, which are the smallest apes, are found in the tropical rainforests of Asia. They are known for their haunting songs and their ability to swing through the tree tops on long arms.
The Hainan gibbon, which inhabits the Chinese island , is now probably the world's rarest mammal with only 26 individuals left. The pressures facing these apes are similar to those that seemingly faced their ancient central Chinese cousins – human activity and habitat destruction.
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