The human and chimpanzee hybrid Oliver, a humanzee, left people on the internet shocked
Oliver was a chimpanzee captured in the Democratic Republic of Congo and purchased by trainers Frank and Janet Berger in 1970. His human-like walking style and features meant he was strikingly similar to one of us.
Oliver the 'humanzee' was once considered to be the 'missing link' in the evolutionary chain. His human-like walking style and features meant he was strikingly similar to one of us. And resurfaced footage of Oliver has left viewers truly terrified.
Where was Oliver captured?
Oliver was a chimpanzee captured in the Democratic Republic of Congo | Image: X
Oliver was a chimpanzee captured in the Democratic Republic of Congo and purchased by trainers Frank and Janet Berger in 1970. Because of several physical and behavioural characteristics, many people thought he was a human-chimp hybrid, sometimes known as a 'humanzee'.
Along with having a small head, his face appeared to be flatter than that of an average chimpanzee. Oliver also had a pronounced nose and would walk upright on two legs, rather than on his knuckles like a chimp.
What traits made Oliver a humanzee?
Oliver lacked the chimpanzee¡¯s trademark | Image: X
As well as him having a bald head, Oliver lacked the chimpanzee¡¯s trademark short, white beard and pronounced forward jaw. Instead, he had pointed ears, placed much higher than usual whilst even having freckles.
Some thought he was the missing link, which is not a term used by biologists. That's because the term it implies the evolutionary process is a linear phenomenon and that forms originate consecutively in a chain.
Instead, the term 'last common ancestor' is preferred and scientists said that Oliver was not a human-chimpanzee hybrid. Commenting on the resurfaced footage, one viewer said: "Woah I remember this really freaked me out."
How did Oliver land in California?
In 1975, Frank and Janet sold Oliver to Michael Miller, a Manhattan lawyer who transferred it to Ralph Helfer, a partner in Enchanted Village, a tiny amusement park in Buena Park, California.
Also read: Chimpanzee Spotted Applying Insect To Son's Wound, Researchers Says It's A First
In 1989, he was purchased by Buckshire Corporation, a Pennsylvania facility that leases animals for scientific and cosmetic purposes.
Check the video here.
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