A new study has found that the "real King Kong" was forced to extinction due to climate change that affected the supply of the species' favorite fruits during the dry season.
Real King Kong's Strict Diet
The Gigantophithecu blacki used to tower at 10 feet and weigh up to 650 pounds. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, the massive ape used to roam through the forested plains of the Guanxi region of China.
However, the researchers found that the strict diet of the ape could have led to its ultimate demise. Yingqi Zhang, the lead researcher of the study, explains that the herbivorous ape made the fatal mistake of being reluctant to change its preferences to find food that was new and more nutritious.
Zhang adds that when the environment experienced changes, the giant ape's preferred food became more scarce. However, the ape did not adjust its food preferences and still chose to rely on food that was less nutritious. Zhang also notes that the creatures also stayed in dense forests, while other apes, such as orangutans, quickly adapted to consuming small animals and migrating to open forests.
The findings were noted in the "The demise of the giant ape Gigantopithecus blacki" study.
The Giant Ape's Ultimate Demise
Until now, the exact reason behind the ultimate demise of the species has remained a mystery. This was since paleontologist Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald discovered a tooth in a Hong Kong apothecary in 1935. This tooth became marketed as a "dragon tooth."
The findings prompted further fossil search. However, after over eight decades, just 2,000 isolated teeth and lower jaw parts have been discovered. Other than the skull, no other parts have been found.
Geochronologist Kira Westaway from Macquarie University, who is one of the lead authors of the study, explains that without a clear extinction timeline for the creature, individuals could be searching for hints in the wrong places.
However, researchers were able to make use of an advanced technique known as luminescence dating. This helped them date the soil surrounding the fossils in 22 caves across Southern China. This helped them discover that the giant ape became extinct between 215,000 to 295,000 years ago.
The researchers also discovered some hints in the fauna that surrounded the caves. Moreover, pollen analysis as well as wear on the teeth of the giant apes underscored that changes in climate implied the scarcity of certain fruits and that these creatures had to rely on foods that had lesser nutritional value.
Westaway explains that the species was not able to expand its foraging range to find more food due to its massive size. Orangutans, on the other hand, were small, agile, and mobile.
The geochronologist also explains that the study could also lead to a possible look into the future regarding how humans may adapt to climate change and make sure to live through these changes.
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