Oliver on the Move

mythusmage · 5th June 2003, 10:58 PM

I missed the first half, so I'll have to catch it again at 1 am locally, but I finally caught Oliver the chimp in action. You heard me right, chimp.

It's on a Discovery Science Channel special on the Discovery Channel called, Humanzee. It's airing as I write. Now that I get a good look at Oliver in action, and in still photos where he's not posed to look more human, he looks very much like a chimp. But...

(You knew there was going to be a 'but' didn't you?

)

His head is smaller and the ears higher up on the head than with other chimps. The ears are also pointed.

He is bipedal, and the knees do lock, much as human knees do.

He picks up on things quickly, and likes people. He also gets along with other chimps.

Conservative assesment: A sub-species of Pan Troglodytes.

Liberal assessment: A fourth chimp.

Show ends up with a 'possible' sub-species finding. It also says that 2% of the US chimp population may be from the same Central African population Oliver came from.

Current (according to the show) situation: Oliver has gotten old and creaky. Arthritis keeps him from going around on two feet, and he has cataracts. He's become the grand old chimp of Primarily Primates (his 'rest home') and gets spoiled by the staff. Considering his career, he deserves it.

The one quandary about him has to do with his mitochondrial and chromosomal DNA. The show only looked at the mitochondrial, but it did show some significant differences with that of a West African chimpanzee. No word on chromosomal genetic markers, and as far as I know, no gene sequencing has been done.

For now, given his morphological and behavior differences with standard chimps, I'm leaning towards a fourth chimp, but a full gene sequencing could change my mind.

shemp · 6th June 2003, 04:17 AM

Says here he's just a chimp:

http://www.dixiexfiles.homestead.com/files/Oliver.htm

5th June 2003, 10:58 PM	#1
mythusmage Scholar Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 60	Oliver on the Move I missed the first half, so I'll have to catch it again at 1 am locally, but I finally caught Oliver the chimp in action. You heard me right, chimp. It's on a Discovery Science Channel special on the Discovery Channel called, Humanzee. It's airing as I write. Now that I get a good look at Oliver in action, and in still photos where he's not posed to look more human, he looks very much like a chimp. But... (You knew there was going to be a 'but' didn't you?) His head is smaller and the ears higher up on the head than with other chimps. The ears are also pointed. He is bipedal, and the knees do lock, much as human knees do. He picks up on things quickly, and likes people. He also gets along with other chimps. Conservative assesment: A sub-species of Pan Troglodytes. Liberal assessment: A fourth chimp. Show ends up with a 'possible' sub-species finding. It also says that 2% of the US chimp population may be from the same Central African population Oliver came from. Current (according to the show) situation: Oliver has gotten old and creaky. Arthritis keeps him from going around on two feet, and he has cataracts. He's become the grand old chimp of Primarily Primates (his 'rest home') and gets spoiled by the staff. Considering his career, he deserves it. The one quandary about him has to do with his mitochondrial and chromosomal DNA. The show only looked at the mitochondrial, but it did show some significant differences with that of a West African chimpanzee. No word on chromosomal genetic markers, and as far as I know, no gene sequencing has been done. For now, given his morphological and behavior differences with standard chimps, I'm leaning towards a fourth chimp, but a full gene sequencing could change my mind.
mythusmage Scholar Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 60	__________________ Alan The fact a zoologist says an animal doesn't exist is no proof that it does. The fact a cryptozoologist says an animal exists is no proof that it doesn't. Mythusmage Opines

6th June 2003, 04:17 AM	#2
shemp Timothy, Timothy, where on earth did you go? Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: trapped in a cave-in with Joe Posts: 12,885	Says here he's just a chimp: http://www.dixiexfiles.homestead.com/files/Oliver.htm
	__________________ Church on Sunday, sleep and nod Tryin' to duck the wrath of God Preacher's fillin' us with fright Tryin' to tell us what he thinks is right He really got to be some kind of nut (I can't use it!) Tryin' to make it real - compared to what?