Oliver, a humanzee, shocked Internet users

Oliver the “humanzee” was once considered the “missing link” in the evolutionary chain. His walking style and human characteristics meant he looked strikingly like one of us. And the remade footage of Oliver left viewers truly terrified.

Where was Oliver captured?

Oliver was a chimpanzee captured in the Democratic Republic of Congo | Image: X

Oliver was a chimpanzee captured in the Democratic Republic of Congo and purchased by trainers Frank and Janet Berger in 1970. Due to several physical and behavioral characteristics, many people believed he was a human-chimpanzee hybrid, sometimes called a “humanzee.”

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In addition to having a small head, its face appeared flatter than that of an average chimpanzee. Oliver also had a pronounced nose and walked upright on two legs, rather than on his knuckles like a chimpanzee.

What traits made Oliver a humanzee?

Oliver didn’t have the chimp mark | Image: X

In addition to having a bald head, Oliver lacked the chimpanzee’s characteristic short, white beard and pronounced front jaw. Instead, he had pointed ears, set much higher than usual while even having freckles.

Some thought he was the missing link, which is not a term used by biologists. This is because the term it implies means that the evolutionary process is a linear phenomenon and the forms arise consecutively in a chain.

Instead, the term “last common ancestor” is preferred and scientists have declared that Oliver was not a human being.chimpanzee hybrid. Commenting on the resurfaced footage, one viewer said: “Woah, I remember that really freaked me out.”

How did Oliver end up in California?

In 1975, Frank and Janet sold Oliver to Michael Miller, a Manhattan lawyer who transferred it to Ralph Helfer, a partner in Enchanted Village, a small amusement park in Buena Park, California.

Also read: Chimpanzee spotted applying insect to son’s wound, researchers say it’s a first

In 1989, it was purchased by Buckshire Corporation, a Pennsylvania facility that leases animals for scientific and cosmetic purposes.

Watch the video here.

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