A model of great ape history during the past 15 million
years has been fashioned through the study of genetic variation in a large
panel of humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans. The catalog of great ape genetic diversity, the
most comprehensive ever, elucidates the evolution and population histories of
great apes from Africa and Indonesia. The resource will likely also aid in
current and future conservation efforts which strive to preserve natural
genetic diversity in populations.
More than 75 scientists and wildlife conservationists from
around the world assisted the genetic analysis of 79 wild and captive-born
great apes. They represent all six great ape species: chimpanzee, bonobo,
Sumatran orangutan, Bornean orangutan, eastern gorilla, and western lowland
gorilla, and seven subspecies. Nine
human genomes were included in the sampling.