apes

Apes, or hominoids, are tailless primates that constitute the superfamily Hominoidea. They are divided into two living groups: the lesser apes (gibbons and siamangs) and the greater apes (orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans).

Taxonomically, apes are split into the family Hylobatidae (lesser apes) and the family Hominidae (great apes). The great apes include the genera Pongo (orangutans), Gorilla, Pan (chimpanzees and bonobos), and Homo (humans).

Apes are generally larger than monkeys, lack tails, and have larger brains relative to body size. They use a variety of locomotor styles, with lesser apes known for brachiation and great apes for knuckle-walking or arm-swinging in trees. Social structures vary widely, from pair bonds in some gibbons to complex multi-male, multi-female groups in chimpanzees and gorillas.

Most living apes inhabit tropical forests in Africa and Asia. Orangutans are native to Southeast Asian forests; gorillas and chimpanzees to central and western Africa; gibbons to Southeast Asia. Humans have a global distribution.

Diet is mainly fruit-based but includes leaves, seeds, and some animal matter. Several species display advanced cognition and problem solving; tool use is documented in chimpanzees and orangutans, while social learning and culture have been observed in multiple species.

Evolutionarily, the hominoid lineage diverged from other primates around 25–30 million years ago. Humans share a closer ancestral relationship with chimpanzees and bonobos than with other apes.

Many ape species are threatened by habitat loss, hunting, and disease. Conservation efforts focus on habitat protection, anti-poaching, and, in some cases, captive breeding programs and rehabilitation.