• Question: If ye evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

    Asked by Michaela + Aaron to Anthea on 13 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Anthea Lacchia

      Anthea Lacchia answered on 13 Nov 2014:

      Hi Michaela and Aaron,
      Glad you asked this.
      The reason is that evolution doesn’t work in a straight line. It’s more like a tree, so different branches start off at different points. A group can for example become geographically isolated for evolution to occur and for that group to “branch off” on our tree. So both non human apes alive today and humans just share a common ancestor.
      And another way to answer you would be to say that we are technically apes, we are part of the branch of apes called the Hominidae, that include orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and US, the humans! 😉
      Hope this clears things up a little!

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