Wednesday's first hour guest Shelly Lynn Williams PhD, a primate researcher, spoke about evidence for a possible new ape species discovered in the Congo. These enigmatic creatures appeared on some video footage she shot. One of the animals was gray in color, which Williams said was unusual for an ape. She believes they may be hybrids of either guerilla-chimp or chimp-bonobo, if not an altogether new species that has never been documented previously.
Below is a set of pictures related to her work. All images © Shelly Williams.
- Unusual Skull (l), Chimpanzee Skull (r)
- Plaster Cast of Footprint
- Unknown Ape Female with Infant
- Foot Comparison
- Shelly in Nest
- Base Camp
From Shelly: Contributions are welcome to save the great apes from extinction in the Congo area. Money will pay for trackers to patrol the area to prevent poaching and also to develop an education program to teach the villagers about conservation and preservation of these extremely rare and wonderful apes, thus ensuring their survival and preventing possible extinction.
Dr. Shelly Williams
Camp Louis Conservation
c/o Henry Doorly Zoo
Center for Conservation Research
3701 South 10th Street
Omaha, NE 68107