21 replies to this topic

[Razer]

In case you have not heard, the "Bili Ape" or "Bondo Mystery Ape" is a very large chimpanzee that unlike chimpanzees builds its nests on the ground and has a crest on its skull like apes.  Has there been any recent news on this guy?  

http://anthropology.net/2007/07/17/bili-ap...e-magic-forest/

20 years ago, the Bili ape would have had cryptid status, but he is more or less accepted to exist these days even by mainstream anthropologists.  Anyone heard of recent news?

Personally, I think it is exciting that such a large primate existed for so long undetected by Western scholars and I would like to know more about it.

[Razer]

I can't believe there are no replies.  A large ape/chimp is discovered in the modern age, which many a scientist would have said impossible and nobody has anything to ad?

[Professor Buzzkill]

I will add! Good find!

The thing that gets me is that they take down and eat leopard's. But the reason they were unknown to us in the west was civil war keeping outsiders away

From the article:

The locals in Bili refer to Bili Apes as “Lion Killers”. While chimps tend to stay in the trees and make good prey for big cats, Bili Apes nest on the ground like gorillas and have been reported to hunt lions.


Another article: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...strangeape.html saying they have characteristics of both chimps and apes

[Razer]

GlenBoy22 on Jul 16 2009, 01:33 AM, said:

I will add! Good find!

The thing that gets me is that they take down and eat leopard's. But the reason they were unknown to us in the west was civil war keeping outsiders away

From the article:

The locals in Bili refer to Bili Apes as “Lion Killers”. While chimps tend to stay in the trees and make good prey for big cats, Bili Apes nest on the ground like gorillas and have been reported to hunt lions.


Another article: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...strangeape.html saying they have characteristics of both chimps and apes

Thanks for the article link!  I had not seen that one before.

[KillerRabbit]

I read about it somewhere. Can't wait to find out when it will get captured . It lends credit to Bigfooot, It's about 5 feet tall (Bigfoots are mostly tall) and is good at hiding, and is ground dwellling.

Edited by KillerRabbit, 16 July 2009 - 02:28 AM.

[KRS-One]

The Wikipedia entry on them has a bit of useful information and plenty of names and other tidbits to google, as well as being well cited.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bili_Ape

As always, hate to jump to Wiki, but this time they seem to have a decent groundwork on the animal.

[marsapien]

this is a particular breed of ape in asia.
they use clubs to kill and eat prey often walk as bipeds and often solve all the societal problems through mating each other....curiously like humans but without the suits.

[psyche101]

marsapien on Jul 16 2009, 08:40 PM, said:

this is a particular breed of ape in asia.
they use clubs to kill and eat prey often walk as bipeds and often solve all the societal problems through mating each other....curiously like humans but without the suits.

Personally, I find the "Lion Killer" legends interesting.

[Razer]

marsapien on Jul 16 2009, 10:40 AM, said:

this is a particular breed of ape in asia.
they use clubs to kill and eat prey often walk as bipeds and often solve all the societal problems through mating each other....curiously like humans but without the suits.

The Chimp/Ape in question lives in the Congo.  Do you have any links regarding the animal in Asia?

[Razer]

psyche101 on Jul 17 2009, 12:57 AM, said:

Personally, I find the "Lion Killer" legends interesting.

So do I.  Can you imagine if they could capture that on video.

[Mattshark]

marsapien on Jul 16 2009, 11:40 AM, said:

this is a particular breed of ape in asia.
they use clubs to kill and eat prey often walk as bipeds and often solve all the societal problems through mating each other....curiously like humans but without the suits.

Erm, no, its isn't. It is just a subspecies of chimp and it is from Africa (DRC).

[psyche101]

Razer on Jul 17 2009, 11:13 AM, said:

So do I.  Can you imagine if they could capture that on video.

I think it would be a huge insight. I often wonder if it is true. As far as I know, the action has not been documented.

Mattshark on Jul 17 2009, 11:14 AM, said:

Erm, no, its isn't. It is just a subspecies of chimp and it is from Africa (DRC).

ROFL, I missed the Asia bit good catch.

Edited by psyche101, 17 July 2009 - 01:30 AM.

[Razer]

psyche101 on Jul 17 2009, 02:28 AM, said:

I think it would be a huge insight. I often wonder if it is true. As far as I know, the action has not been documented.

I has been documented by one of the earlier teams that they saw a Bili Ape eating the remains of large cat, I don't remember off hand which type of cat (I want to say leopard, but I don't remember).  Of course, as they should, they said that they don't know if the Bili Ape was simply scavenging or had actually killed the animal.

[psyche101]

Razer on Jul 17 2009, 11:40 AM, said:

I has been documented by one of the earlier teams that they saw a Bili Ape eating the remains of large cat, I don't remember off hand which type of cat (I want to say leopard, but I don't remember).  Of course, as they should, they said that they don't know if the Bili Ape was simply scavenging or had actually killed the animal.

Yes, but if it can be proven they do hunt such predators I think it would be a huge insight into evolutionary development of primates. I think even the scavenging is a big plus, sort of validates what we think about Homo habilis.
Fascinating species, hopefully we learn more before the bush meat market places a damaging toll on the population.

[Razer]

psyche101 on Jul 17 2009, 05:00 AM, said:

hopefully we learn more before the bush meat market places a damaging toll on the population.

It is just a guess, but I think the local population is not going to mess with the Bili Ape. From all accounts, the locals fear the creature and I hope it stays that way.

Edited by Razer, 17 July 2009 - 04:07 AM.