Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

Apes include orangutans, gorillas, bonobos, and gibbons. They vary in size, but some of

them can be as big as an adult human.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Ape 147

 

apes except gibbons build nests for

sleeping.

Most apes live in groups. Chimpanzees

and bonobos are the most social, sometimes

living in groups of more than 100

animals. However, male adult orangutans

live mostly alone.

Apes eat mainly plants, including fruits,

leaves, stalks, and seeds. Sometimes they

eat insects or other small animals.

Chimpanzees also hunt and kill monkeys

and other mammals for food.

Great apes are very intelligent. Some

chimpanzees and orangutans in the wild

use sticks or other objects as tools. For

instance, some chimpanzees poke sticks

into ant or termite nests. The chimps

pull the sticks out and eat the insects

clinging to them. Scientists study the

learning abilities of apes in laboratories

and zoos. They have taught some great

apes to communicate using sign language

or pictures of symbols. However,

not all scientists agree that these apes

have truly learned to use language.

Reproduction

Reproduction in apes is similar to reproduction

in humans. A female ape usually

gives birth after a pregnancy of seven to

nine months. Normally a single baby is

born. Twins are rare. Baby apes are

nearly helpless for the first few months

after birth. Adult apes may provide care

for the young for several years.

Under Threat

Most types of ape are endangered, or at

risk of dying out completely in the wild.

Humans have cut down the trees in forests

where some apes live, destroying

their habitats. People also kill apes for

their meat. However, people have also

begun trying to save these animals.

Some countries have national parks to

protect apes and their habitats. Laws

also make it illegal to hunt or capture

endangered apes.

#More to explore

Chimpanzee • Gibbon • Gorilla

• Orangutan • Primate

Aphrodite

In ancient Greek mythology Aphrodite

was the goddess of love and beauty. She

was one of the 12 chief gods believed to

live on Mount Olympus. Aphrodite is

associated with the Roman goddess

Venus because they shared many of the

same characteristics. The symbols of

Aphrodite are the dove, rose, myrtle

tree, and swan.

In one story Aphrodite was the daughter

of Zeus, the ruler of all the gods. Her

mother was a Titan named Dione.

Some apes spend part of their time in trees

and part on the ground. Orangutans, like

gibbons, spend most of their time in trees.

148 Aphrodite BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Titans were giants who once ruled the

world. Other stories tell that Aphrodite

sprang fully grown from the foam of the

sea. The wind carried her on a shell to

the island of Cyprus, which became her

home. Sailors prayed to her to calm the

wind and waves.

According to legend, gods and humans

alike desired Aphrodite because of her

beauty. But she was proud and rejected

her admirers. To punish her, Zeus had

her marry the ugly god of fire, named

Hephaestus. Aphrodite soon left him

for Ares, the handsome god of war.

One of their children was Eros, the

winged god of love. Zeus later arranged

for Aphrodite to fall in love with a

handsome shepherd named Anchises.

From that union Aeneas was born. He

was said to be an ancestor of the

Roman people.

#More to explore

Ares • Greece, Ancient • Hephaestus

• Mythology • Zeus

Apia

Apia is the capital of Samoa, an island

country in the southern Pacific Ocean.

It lies on the northern coast of Upolu

Island. Apia is Samoa’s main port. It

ships dried coconut meat, bananas,

cocoa, and coffee to other countries.

Manufacturing and tourism also bring

money to the city.

Apia developed into a port after European

missionaries and traders arrived in

the mid-1800s. In the 1940s, during

WorldWar II, U.S. Marines used Apia

as a base.

The former home of Scottish writer

Robert Louis Stevenson sits on a hill

overlooking Apia. Today Samoa’s head

of state lives there.

#More to explore

Samoa

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Apollo

In ancient Greek mythology Apollo was

the god of music, healing, light, and

prophecy (predicting the future). He

was one of the 12 main gods believed to

live on Mount Olympus. He also came

to be considered a sun god. Because of

Apollo’s many important roles, the

Greeks loved him greatly. The Romans

later worshipped him too. The laurel

tree, dolphin, and crow were sacred to

Apollo.

Apollo was the son of Zeus, the chief

god, and Leto. Leto was a Titan, or one

of the giants that once ruled the world.

Apollo was also the twin brother of

Artemis, the goddess of hunting.

According to tradition, one of Apollo’s

earliest deeds was to slay a giant snake,

called Python. No human dared

approach the monster. Apollo came

down from Mount Olympus and, after a

hard fight, killed Python using his silver

bow and golden arrows.

The famous Temple of Apollo stood at a

site called Delphi. This was near the

place where Apollo had killed Python.

People traveled great distances to visit

the shrine. There they would speak to

one of Apollo’s priestesses. She would

give them an oracle, or prediction of the

future, said to come from Apollo.

According to legend, the god Hermes