Article published at Geographical Horizon Magazine (October 2008) – part 2

PRIMATES AND US

·         Gorillas, bonobos, orangutans and chimpanzees belong to the great primates\’ order, in which the humans are also included.

·         Chimpanzees are different from humans only for 1% of their DNA.

·         All the primates use facial and vocal expressions to communicate, but chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans and gorillas use gestures in the same way as humans.

·         The area of the brain in charge for communication, both spoken and by sign, is the same in humans and in chimpanzees.

·         Great primates can use tools and recognize themselves in the mirror.

·         Specialists identify the geographical origin of these animals base on the use of tools to break fruits peel or on the preparation of small wood sticks to hunt termites inside hollow logs of trees.

·        As humans, great primates demonstrate love, fear, anxiety and jealousy. They are able to plan ahead their actions, which is a mark of human intelligence.