Jun 20

The largest primate to walk the Earth

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The largest primate to walk the Earth. Twelve Feet tall and over 1,200 pounds, Gigantopithecus Blacki was taller and heavier than the North American Grizzly Bear! From perhaps nine million years to as recently as one hundred thousand years ago, a giant ape roamed the earth. This giant creature was part of the genus “Gigantopithecus”, which literally translates to “Giant Ape” in Greek. Could Gigantopithecus still be alive today? Many creatures thought to be extinct have been rediscovered in the far reaches of unexplored lands. The species known as “Gigantopithecus Blacki”  was the largest of the ancient giant apes, reaching a height up to between 9 and 12 feet, and weighing up to 1200 lbs. This ancient ape is most closely related to the modern Orangutan. But in size, the Gigantopithecus dwarfs both Orangs and humans. Researchers first learned about the existence of this giant ape through fossil discoveries in South Asia. The Jakarta Post reports that this fossil of a gigantic ape’s lower jaw was unearthed at a site in Central Java in late 2014. This new fossil suggests that Gigantopithecus had a broader range than previously thought. Other recent news also seems to raise the possibility that this giant ape did not die out as long ago as previously thought.

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10 Responses to “The largest primate to walk the Earth”

  1. Richard L

    They keep finding new things every year ! They are often wrong with lots of things ..when they lived…when they died ….. so they might still be around …who knows !!!

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