Mammals · Primates

Apes

Hominoidea (superfamily)

Many Species Endangered

An ape is any member of the Hominoidea superfamily of primates. Except for gorillas and humans, true apes are agile climbers of trees, and are best described as omnivorous — their diet consists of fruit and seeds, along with other animals hunted or scavenged and anything else available and easily digested.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Primates

Superfamily: Hominoidea

Other names: Anthropoid, Simian, Primate

Size

Gibbons, the smallest and most arboreal apes ("lesser apes"), are 3 ft. long and weigh up to 30 lbs. Gorillas, the largest ("great apes"), measure up to 6 ft. long and weigh up to 400 lbs.

Habitat

Native to Africa and Southeast Asia.

Diet

Vegetarian or omnivorous — leaves, nuts, seeds, fruits, grass seeds and small invertebrates.

Communication

Most apes communicate vocally and using body language.

Gestation & Life Span

Both vary greatly from species to species.

Social Structure

Some apes gather in troops, while other species like the orangutan are solitary.

Did You Know?

Apes do not possess a tail, unlike most monkeys.