The new ape has some gorilla characteristics

Scientists believe they have discovered a new group of giant apes in the jungles of central Africa.

The animals, with characteristics of both gorillas and chimpanzees , have been sighted in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

They stand up to two metres tall, the size of gorillas, but unlike gorillas, they nest on the ground, not in trees.

If they are a new species of primate, it could be one of the most important wildlife discoveries in decades.

According to local villagers, the apes living in the remote forests of northern DR Congo are ferocious, and even capable of killing lions.

But these mysterious apes live hundreds of kilometres away from any other known gorilla populations, and their diet is closer to that of chimpanzees.

The discovery has baffled scientists.

They are now studying whether this could be a new species of ape.

Another possibility is that the creatures are giant chimpanzees, much larger than any so far recorded, but which behave like gorillas.

Or alternatively, they could be hybrids, the product of gorillas mating with chimpanzees.

So far, researchers have little to go on, but they now plan to return to northern DR Congo to study the apes further.

In the meantime, there are fears that unless measures are taken to protect them, poaching could threaten this new group of primates before the mystery of their identity is resolved.      

(Agencies)

gorilla: the largest of the anthropoid apes (Gorilla gorilla) native to the forests of equatorial Africa, having a stocky body and coarse, dark brown or black hair（大猩猩，栖居在赤道非洲的最大的类人猿。体型粗壮，头发很粗，呈深棕色或黑色）

chimpanzee: a gregarious anthropoid ape (Pan troglodytes) of tropical Africa, having long dark hair and somewhat arboreal habits and exhibiting humanlike behavior and a high degree of intelligence. It is now considered vulnerable to extinction in the wild（黑猩猩，产于非洲热带地区的一种有黑色长毛的群居类人猿。有一些栖于树上的生活习惯，且表现出与人类相似的行为和高等智力，现在被认为在荒野里很可能灭绝。）

primate: a mammal of the order Primates, which includes the anthropoids and prosimians, characterized by refined development of the hands and feet, a shortened snout, and a large brain（灵长目动物）

baffle: to frustrate or check (a person) as by confusing or perplexing; stymie（使困惑，难倒）

poach: to trespass on another's property in order to take fish or game（偷猎）