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Deep in the Congolese jungle is a band of apes that, according to local legend, kill lions, catch fish and even howl at the moon. Local hunters speak of massive creatures that seem to be some sort of hybrid between a chimp and a gorilla.
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The most detailed and recent data comes from Cleve Hicks, at the University of Amsterdam, who has spent 18 months in the field watching the Bili apes - named after a local town - since 2004. His team’s most striking find came after one of his trackers heard chimps calling for several days from the same spot.
When he investigated he came across a chimp feasting on the carcass of a leopard. Mr Hicks cannot be sure the animal was killed by the chimp, but the find lends credence to the apes’ lion-eating reputation.
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Mr Hicks reports that he found a unique chimp culture. For example, unlike their cousins in other parts of Africa the chimps regularly bed down for the night in nests on the ground. Around a fifth of the nests he found were there rather than in the trees.
“How can they get away with sleeping on the ground when there are lions, leopards, golden cats around as well as other dangerous animals like elephants and buffalo?” said Mr Hicks.
“I don’t like to paint them as being more aggressive, but maybe they prey on some of these predators and the predators kind of leave them alone.” He is keen to point out though that they don’t howl at the moon
[Mr Spock] Fascinating [/Mr Spock]
Strangely enough they also found a near naked white man living among them as one of the tribe. The man seemed to be able to communicate with the apes but spoke no recognizable language. “Omgowi simba tantor” were often heard.
Sattua
July 15, 2007, 3:02pm
4
BS. I want pictures of the apes, or better yet an Animal Planet special with lots–and lots–and lots of footage of them. Legends about apes are just too darn prevalent.
Or have I been whooshed?
Squink
July 15, 2007, 3:35pm
5
Wikipedia on Bili Apes
Ook.
flips through pages of book and peels banana
davidm
July 15, 2007, 4:08pm
8
The revolutionary cadres of the Simianese Liberation Army in action! King of the Jungle, my ass!
(I understand they have the blessing of the Primate of Athens…)
I for one, welcome our oversized chimpilla overlords!
I know that I don’t want to tackle a chimp weighing 175 pounds.
In general, for most of the animal world, I’d say that primates are bad news.
Not me. I don’t like chimps at a regular size; giant ones are the stuff of nightmares. Or, you know, movies.
Bah! Think of the endorsement possibilities! “Potato Chimps”, Chocolate Chimp Ice Cream"…
Ah, I’ve heard about these guerrilla warriors.
Least Original User Name Ever:
Bah! Think of the endorsement possibilities! “Potato Chimps”, Chocolate Chimp Ice Cream"…
I was thinking more of “King Bubbles” - that would be a money-maker, wouldn’t it?
Muffin
July 16, 2007, 3:13am
16
Deep in the Congolese jungle is a band of apes that, according to local legend, kill lions, catch fish and even howl at the moon. Local hunters speak of massive creatures that seem to be some sort of hybrid between a chimp and a gorilla.
Sounds like a Sigma Chi chapter.