Climate Change Drove Great Ape Species to Extinction, Study Finds

This illustration provided by researchers depicts Gigantopithecus blacki in a forest in the Guangxi region of southern China. The extinct great apes once stood around 10 feet tall and weighed up to 650 pounds. This photo provided by researchers shows a mountain where fossils of Gigantopithcus blacki were found in caves in the Guangxi region of southern China.

An ancient species of great ape was likely driven to extinction when climate change put their favorite fruits out of reach during dry seasons, scientists reported Wednesday.