Gigantopithecus, recognized as the most massive primate to have ever existed, faced extinction due to its inability to adapt to a changing environment, relying solely on bark and twigs before its eventual demise, scientists revealed recently.
This colossal creature, Gigantopithecus blacki, towering at 10 feet and weighing approximately 660 pounds, flourished in the lush forests of southern Asia until a little over 200,000 years ago. The mystery surrounding its sudden disappearance, after thriving for hundreds of millennia, dates back to the 1930s when German scientist G.H.R. von Koenigswald stumbled upon its tooth in a Hong Kong apothecary, astonishingly labeled as a “dragon’s tooth.”
Renaud Joannes-Boyau from Australia’s Southern Cross University, a co-author of the latest study published in Nature, highlighted the significance of the enormous tooth, stating it was “three to four times larger than any other great ape’s teeth,” sparking extensive research endeavors.
Despite excavating four partial jawbones and approximately 2,000 teeth, primarily from caves in China’s Guangxi province, deciphering the cause of the primate’s extinction remained a daunting challenge. However, a breakthrough emerged when an international team of scientists, including experts from China, Australia, and the U.S., undertook a comprehensive study to trace the timeline of Gigantopithecus’s existence.
Utilizing innovative dating techniques, including luminescence dating, which gauges the last exposure of minerals to sunlight, the team established that Gigantopithecus faced extinction between 215,000 and 295,000 years ago, much earlier than previously assumed. This critical period witnessed pronounced seasonal changes, transforming the dense forests where Gigantopithecus thrived into open forests and grasslands, depriving the primate of its primary sustenance: fruits.
Consequently, the massive primate, constrained by its size and bulk, struggled to adapt, resorting to less nutritious alternatives like bark and twigs. Kira Westaway from Australia’s Macquarie University emphasized this as a “critical misstep” culminating in Gigantopithecus’s extinction, despite its increasing size during this period.
Comparative analysis indicated that the primate’s closest living relative is the Bornean orangutan, which adeptly navigated the changing environment by being smaller and agile, thriving amidst the challenges that led to Gigantopithecus’s downfall.
Understanding the fate of such species becomes pivotal, especially amidst looming threats of a sixth mass extinction event. While numerous great ape species populated Africa, Europe, and Asia between 2 million and 22 million years ago, today, only a handful, including gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and humans, remain. The study underscores the urgency of preserving biodiversity and understanding evolutionary histories as we navigate an uncertain future.
