great ape
Our closest cousin
A great ape is any of the large tailless primates most closely related to humans—chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans.
Humans are technically great apes too, though the term usually excludes us: Great apes share over 96% of their DNA with humans.
Distinguished from lesser apes like gibbons by their larger size and more complex social behavior.
Largest great ape
- chimpanzeeGreat ape, genus Pan
- orangutanLarge red-haired Asian ape
- bonoboCongo Basin great ape
- primateHigher mammal order member
simian · anthropoid · silverback · lowland gorilla · mountain gorilla · knuckle-walking · opposable thumbs · troop
At risk of extinction
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
- poachingUnlawful wildlife capture
- habitat lossElimination of living spaces
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
bushmeat · CITES · critically endangered · wildlife trafficking · rehabilitation · reintroduction · protected areas · rangers
Addressing challenges methodically
- cognitionMental knowledge acquisition
- communicationExchanging ideas or information
- self-awarenessInsight into one's psyche
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
memory · culture · planning · reasoning · empathy · imitation · mirror test · sign language
Wet tropical woodland ecosystem
- jungleDense tropical forest
- canopyOverhead protective covering
- tropicalOf hot, humid regions
- equatorialOf Earth's central line
Africa · Borneo · Sumatra · Congo · woodland · nesting sites · forest floor · understory
Family line of descent
- DarwinBritish naturalist, species theorist
- common ancestorOrigin point of descendants
- fossilsPreserved ancient organism traces
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
bipedalism · adaptation · speciation · genetics · natural selection · Miocene · paleontology · hominoid
gorilla
Largest great ape
- chimpanzeeGreat ape, genus Pan
- orangutanLarge red-haired Asian ape
- bonoboCongo Basin great ape
primate · simian · anthropoid · silverback · lowland gorilla · mountain gorilla · knuckle-walking · opposable thumbs · troop · social structure
endangered
At risk of extinction
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
- poachingUnlawful wildlife capture
- habitat lossElimination of living spaces
deforestation · bushmeat · CITES · critically endangered · wildlife trafficking · rehabilitation · reintroduction · protected areas · rangers · ecotourism
problem-solving
Addressing challenges methodically
- cognitionMental knowledge acquisition
- communicationExchanging ideas or information
- self-awarenessInsight into one's psyche
learning · memory · culture · planning · reasoning · empathy · imitation · mirror test · sign language · Koko
rainforest
Wet tropical woodland ecosystem
equatorial · Africa · Borneo · Sumatra · Congo · woodland · nesting sites · forest floor · understory · arboreal
ancestry
Family line of descent
- DarwinBritish naturalist, species theorist
- common ancestorOrigin point of descendants
- fossilsPreserved ancient organism traces
phylogeny · bipedalism · adaptation · speciation · genetics · natural selection · Miocene · paleontology · hominoid · evolutionary tree