The largest great ape to ever live went extinct because of climate change, says new study

By CHRISTINA LARSON
AP Science Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new study suggests an ancient species of great ape was likely driven to extinction by environmental changes. Scientists in China and Australia reported on Wednesday the demise of a kind of great ape that once lived in southern China. The giant apes survived for around 2 million years and were the largest great ape known to scientists. They ate vegetarian diets, munching on fruits and flowers in the tropical forests until the environment began to change. Then their preferred foods weren’t available during the dry seasons. Results were published in the journal Nature.