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Which living primates are the closest relatives of Homo sapiens?

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Homo sapiens Human beings (Homo sapiens) are anatomically similar and related to the great apes but are distinguished by a more highly developed brain and a resultant capacity for articulate speech and abstract reasoning.

The closest living relatives of Homo sapiens are the African great apes, specifically chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (P. paniscus).12

Genetic analysis indicates that the evolutionary lineage leading to modern humans diverged from the lineage shared by chimpanzees and bonobos approximately 6.5 million to 9.3 million years ago. While gorillas are also closely related members of the subfamily Homininae, chimpanzees and bonobos share a more recent common ancestor with humans.3425

It is important to recognize that all nonhuman apes are currently classified as endangered species, and their survival is threatened by habitat loss and illegal hunting. Protecting these primates is an ethical imperative, as they are our closest biological kin and play vital roles in their respective ecosystems.35