Apes of Uganda

Apes are the closest living relatives of humans. The first known apes from the fossil record also occur in Uganda. Thus, Uganda is unique in the world in safeguarding multiple fossil remnants, as well as multiple living species of apes. As such, Uganda and its natural history are a crucial place for understanding the evolution of apes and humans, and for conserving some of the last surviving populations of African apes in the wild.

The exhibition is a partnership between the Uganda National Museum and the University of Michigan showcasing the central role that Uganda plays in the research and preservation of the apes.

The goals of the exhibition are:

-To present a scientifically rigorous, accessible exhibit that introduces the public to the fossil and living apes of Uganda, while also deploying central biological concepts including evolution, ecology, and conservation.
-To present to the public, especially young Ugandans, cutting-edge research on ape evolution carried out in Uganda by Ugandan and foreign scholars.
-To promote public awareness of the conservation plight faced by the gorilla and the chimpanzee.