The Mystery of the Greatest Ape Ever, Real Life King Kong

In 1935, paleontologist Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald visited a pharmacy in Hong Kong and found an enormous molar tooth. Fossils like this are often found in traditional Chinese medicine called dragon bones, but this tooth did not come from the mythical creature.

Research revealed the tooth came from some kind of giant creature. Von Koenigswald named it Gigantopithecus, which means 'giant ape'. Since then, thousands of teeth have been traced, mostly from traditional Chinese medicine markets. The discovery of several lower jaws allowed paleontologists and primatologists to deduce a bit of what Gigantopithecus looked like.

Unfortunately no other parts of its skeleton or skull have been found so far. The most famous Gigantopithecus species is G. blacki which appears to be the largest species.

In 1935, paleontologist Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald visited a pharmacy in Hong Kong and found an enormous molar tooth. Fossils like these are often foundThe cause of their extinction may have been discovered in recent research. The study in the journal Nature suggests that 2.3 million years ago, at the end of the middle Pleistocene, these giant apes enjoyed a diet rich in fruits and lived in dense forests. But around 600,000 to 700,000 years ago, the habitat changed and gradually became grassland.

Unfortunately no other parts of its skeleton or skull have been found so far. The most famous Gigantopithecus species is G. blacki which appears to be the largest species.

During this period, the climate and crops become more seasonal and water availability less consistent as the region begins to experience a dry season. During this time, G. blacki grew larger, increasing the amount of food it needed.

Habitat changes and an inability to adapt ultimately destroyed the species. Previous research suggested the ape became extinct around 200,000 years ago, but new data shows that by 300,000 years ago, its numbers had declined dramatically before disappearing altogether between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago.

During this period, climate and plants became more seasonal and water availability less conStill mysterious

No Gigantopithecus fossils from the neck down have ever been found and documented. Considering that Gigantopithecus roamed the Asian region for about 2 million years, this is considered mysterious. Moreover, its size is gigantic, up to 3 meters high and weighing up to 270 kilograms.

Quoted by punasfcblogspotcom, this giant ape actually never lived in the cave, where its fossils were found. It is thought that rodents carry the remains of their bodies into it.

"The teeth or lower jaw of the great ape, based on the fossil evidence found, underwent a very complex process of death, decay, weathering, transportation and deposition before being embedded in cave sediments," said Wang Wei, professor at Shandong University's Institute of Cultural Heritage.

"As a result, only a small number of the hardiest Gigantopithecus body parts will become fossilized throughout geological history," he explains.

Given the lack of fossils, it is difficult to know exactly what Gigantopithecus looked like. Its upper molars were 57.8% larger than those of a gorilla and its lower molars were 33% larger, suggesting that it weighed between 200 and 300 kilograms.

The ape's enormous size suggests that it likely lived on the ground and walked with its fists. Analysis of proteins found in Gigantopithecus fossils in November 2019 suggests its closest living relative is the Bornean orangutan.

Wang noted that in the Bose Basin, near the cave where the Gigantopithecus fossils were found, archaeologists discovered a large number of stone tools dating back about 800,000 years. Although there is no direct fossil evidence of Homo erectus and giant apes living side by side, it is possible that human ancestors had encounters with these large creatures.

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