Mystery extinct ape found in ancient Chinese tomb

The gibbon has already become extinct, suggesting humans wiped out primate populations long before the modern age.

Living primates are in peril, with many on the brink of extinction.

The new gibbon, named Junzi imperialis, may be the first to vanish as a direct result of human actions, according to scientists led by the Zoological Society of London.

"All of the world's apes - chimpanzees, gorillas, orang-utans and gibbons - are threatened with extinction today due to human activities, but no ape species were thought to have become extinct as a result of hunting or habitat loss," said lead researcher Dr Samuel Turvey.

"However, the discovery of the recently extinct Junzi changes this, and highlights the vulnerability of gibbons in particular." [ 1 image, 1 link, i quotation, 119 words]