Random Fun Facts You Should Know About Apes (20 items)

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  (#17) Bonobos Yawn Empathetically

  Scientists have studied bonobo chimps and found that they display empathetic yawning just like humans do (when you see someone yawn, you also yawn). Bonobos were actually more likely to yawn when they saw a stranger yawning than when they saw a friend yawning, indicating that they might be even more empathetic to strangers.
• (#14) Newborn Gorillas Are Half The Size Of Newborn Humans

  Gorillas gestate for about nine months, just like humans, but newborn gorillas only weight three to four pounds, as opposed to human newborns, which weigh seven pounds on average. Adult male gorillas can weigh up to 500 pounds.
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  (#1) Apes Can Create Words

  Even though they cannot speak, great apes can be taught sign language. What's even more amazing is that when they don't know the word for an object, they will combine other words to describe it. Ape caretakers have noticed them creating the following combinations of signs: "white" and "tiger" to describe a zebra, "ball" and "beans" to denote peas, and "bark," "sky" and "dog" to describe a helicopter.
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  (#10) Apes Have Fingerprints

  Just like humans, gorillas and chimpanzees have unique fingerprints. The only other species of animal that has fingerprints is the koala.
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  (#7) Apes Learn Parenting Skills By Observation

  Zookeepers have realized that female gorillas raised in captivity who have never seen another mother gorilla nurse a baby have trouble catching on to the concept of breastfeeding. For this reason, zookeepers will often keep female gorillas who are ready to mate with their families for another year or so, to allow them to watch and learn how to care for babies.
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  (#5) Apes Can Get The Flu

  Because their DNA is so similar to that of humans, apes can come down with the same infections we get, like the common cold, the flu, and pneumonia.

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