We may be part of the same overarching group as chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, but there are lots of things that set us apart from these other great apes…
We share roughly 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees, 98% with gorillas, and 97% with orangutans, says Will Newton. It’s no wonder, given such stark genetic similarity, that these great apes are often referred to as our closest living cousins.
Together, we (Homo sapiens) and the seven other extant species of great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, eastern and western gorillas, and Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli orangutans) make up a group known as Hominidae.
This group is part of a larger group known as Hominoidea, or apes. As well as great apes, Hominoidea also includes gibbons – the only apes that don’t quite make the cut as great apes.
As part of Hominidae (and therefore Hominoidea), humans are both great apes and apes. The terms ‘great apes’ and ‘apes’ are just common names for wide-reaching taxonomic groups that include both living and extinct animals. A simple way to look at this is that humans are apes, but not all apes are humans.
So, if humans are apes, why do we look and behave so differently to chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and gibbons? The best way to explain these aesthetic and behavioural differences is by looking at our shared ancestry and identifying when each group broke away from the wider ape family tree.
Hey there, fellow joke lovers! Today I’m gonna share with you one of the most legendary series of jokes that’s been making people laugh (or groan) for years. Ya know, sometimes the simplest jokes are the funniest ones, and this classic series about monkeys falling from trees proves exactly that!
The Original Classic Series
Let me tell you how this whole thing goes It’s actually a series of connected jokes that get progressively more ridiculous (which is exactly why we love them!) Here’s how I tell them
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First Monkey
Q Why did the monkey fall out of the tree?A Because it was dead!
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Second Monkey:
Q: Why did the second monkey fall out of the tree?
A: It was stapled to the first monkey! -
The Fridge:
Q: Why did the fridge fall out of the tree?
A: Because it’s a fridge – it can’t hold on! -
The Poor Kid:
Q: Why did the little boy fall off his bike?
A: He got hit by two monkeys and a fridge!
Alternative Versions
Now, I’ve heard different variations of this joke series over the years. Some people tell it slightly differently, like this version from an old forum:
- First monkey falls ’cause it’s dead
- Second monkey falls thinking it’s a game
- Third monkey was stapled to the first one
- And then some poor donkey dies from getting hit by all the falling monkeys!
Why These Jokes Work
Listen, I know these jokes are pretty silly, but here’s why they’re actually genius:
- They’re unexpected
- They build on each other
- They’re absurd in the best possible way
- They’re easy to remember and retell
- Kids absolutely love them!
More Monkey Tree Jokes
While we’re on the topic, here are some other monkey-related jokes that’ll make you go bananas:
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Why did the monkey defect from the Soviet Union?
Because it couldn’t find any bananas!
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Why did the monkey want his grandkids to call him Papa?
Because he didn’t wanna banana! (get it? Be a nana? )
Tips for Telling These Jokes
If you’re planning to tell these jokes at your next party (and trust me, you should!), here’s how to nail it:
- Tell them in order – The sequence matters!
- Timing is key – Pause for effect after each punchline
- Keep a straight face – Makes it even funnier
- Add your own twist – Maybe throw in some sound effects!
My Personal Experience
I remember first hearing these jokes at summer camp when I was like 12, and I literally couldn’t stop laughing for days. The best part was telling them to other kids who hadn’t heard them before and watching their faces go from confusion to “wait, what?” to complete hysteria.
Final Thoughts
Ya know what’s crazy? These jokes have been around forever, and they’re still making people laugh. They’re like the comfort food of jokes – not fancy, kinda silly, but somehow always satisfying.
So next time someone looks a bit down, just ask them: “Hey, wanna hear why the monkey fell out of the tree?” Trust me, by the time you get to the fridge part, they’ll either be laughing or throwing something at you – either way, mission accomplished!
Remember, sometimes the dumbest jokes are the best ones. And if anyone gives you grief about telling these jokes, just remind them that even a dead monkey knows how to make an exit! (Too soon? )
Keep laughing, folks! And watch out for falling monkeys… and fridges… and little boys on bikes!
P.S. If you enjoyed these jokes, share them with your friends! Just maybe don’t tell them at a funeral… or in a tree… or near any monkeys…
#humor #jokes #monkeys #classicjokes #dadjokes
When did apes first appear?
From a combination of genetic analyses and fossil evidence, researchers have worked out that hominoids (apes) diverged from Old World monkeys in the Oligocene, roughly 25 million years ago. In the following period, the Miocene (23-5.3 mya), apes reached a peak in diversity and evolved into lots of different groups – many of which are now extinct.
This peak in diversity is thought to have been driven by a more favourable climate and increased habitat diversity in the Miocene compared to the Oligocene. As temperatures increased in the Miocene, vegetation blossomed and huge, expansive forests spread across the world, creating many different ecological niches that apes could evolve into.
During the Early Miocene, Africa and the adjoining Arabian Peninsula also collided with Eurasia, creating a land bridge that allowed apes to migrate across continents and spread to new and even more ecologically favourable areas.
What was the first group of apes to diverge from the rest?White-handed Gibbon. Getty
The first group to break away from the ape family tree were the gibbons (Hylobatidae), and they did so roughly 16.8 million years ago.
Also known as ‘lesser apes’, gibbons differ from the great apes in being a lot smaller, exhibiting low sexual dimorphism (differences between males and females), and having strangely long arms in comparison to the rest of their bodies. They’re also distinguished from great apes by the fact they don’t make nests.
There are 20 different species of gibbons alive today and they can be found in subtropical and tropical forests from eastern Bangladesh and Northeast India to Southeast Asia and Indonesia.
So Why Did the Monkey Fall Out of the Tree…
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