Oliver’s ape, born around 1957 in the Congo, is considered the most human-like ape ever discovered, even nicknamed the “ape man” by scientists, and has given rise to countless controversies over its origin. Most of the apes that can act like humans are due to being raised and trained. But Oliver caught from the wild has extremely human-like characteristics, more surprising than his fellow trained without anyone teaching him.
The ape is strangely human-like
The first person to own this famous ape was two American animal trainers Frank and Janet Berger. The brothers raise a large group of apes, but Oliver is unlike any other ordinary ape.
Oliver “ape man” – the animal that once caused great controversy in the scientific world
From the very beginning, Frank and Janet Berger noticed that Oliver had a more “human” face than his fellow humans. It has a small, flat face and bright eyes, much more intelligent than the ape. Oliver is also bald and has a soft squeak that makes him look like a man.
It does not like to socialize with apes, but is more friendly with humans. The other apes in the group also shunned Oliver because of their different appearance and behavior. Berger even notes in his study of Oliver that he was “more interested” in women than in female apes.
“Oliver prefers to be around humans rather than his fellow humans. It feels comfortable not living with other apes. It’s more like a human than an ape.”the Berger brothers said.
Common apes have to be trained to walk on two legs, but their gait still belongs to the quadruped. Meanwhile, Oliver was born with two very stable and flexible legs. Its intelligence far exceeds that of any ape trained since childhood. Oliver often helps the trainer bring food to the apes kept in the cage. It grasps and uses simple tools and machines without having to learn.
The more he matures, the more Oliver surprises everyone with many human-like behaviors. It has a habit of drinking coffee every morning and likes to drink cocktails. Oliver can even make his own custom drinks.
All of Oliver’s human-like behavior is completely natural, no training required
Oliver’s ability to think logically also develops over time as it can make decisions depending on specific situations. What Oliver did really went beyond the normal mimicry of apes.
Because of his speciality, Oliver received great attention from the public and the press. Its increasing intelligence over time scared the Berger brothers, and they believed that Oliver was a hybrid between a man and an ape. The Berger brothers sold Oliver to someone else. But all buyers who have only kept Oliver for a while are also concerned about his unusual intelligence. The “ape man” was passed down through many generations of owners, each “moving house” was short. Finally, in 1986, it was locked in the laboratory of the company Buckshire (USA).
Oliver often appears on television and radio because of its curious difference
Here, Oliver was locked in a small cage for 7 years for research. It did not accept being confined in a cage, so it protested vehemently and was brutally treated. As a result, Oliver suffered from muscular atrophy and arthritis, rapidly declining health.
The journey to liberation
In 1996, the “ape man” was rescued to the Primarily Primates Apes Conservation Center. There, University of Chicago researchers conducted DNA analysis to address the long-standing rumor that Oliver was the “result” of a human-ape hybrid. Tests show that Oliver’s genome has 47 chromosomes, one more than in humans and one less than in apes. Oliver’s genetic makeup is different from that of apes, so it has more biological characteristics of humans than apes.
Research indicates that Oliver has a chromosomal mutation
However, to suggest that it is hybrid is completely groundless. After all, scientists concluded Oliver was a natural mutant in the apes world. Such an individual is rare and possibly unique.
On June 2, 2012, Oliver passed away peacefully in his sleep, aged about 55 years old. Its body was cremated and the ashes scattered throughout the conservation center in memory. Scientists have shown that, if lived in a natural environment, its lifespan can be much longer. In 2014, Primarily Primates inaugurated an ape play area named Oliver as a tribute to the most human-like ape in history.
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