Mike Kinnaird <[log in to unmask]>:
>Chimps and Gorrilas are not our ancestors, true again, but we share over
>98% of genes and our digestive tracts are identical. They are frugivores
>- eating primarily fruit and leaves so it would seem reasonable to assume
>that we are frugivores also n'est pas?

Tom:
Gorillas are folivores (not frugivores), with the requisite
fermentation
chambers in their guts. Humans lack such chambers; our guts are not
identical.
Chimps are frugivores, but they are certainly not vegetarians
(neither are gorillas: lowland gorillas eat termites, mountain
gorillas eat ants). For a discussion of primate gut morphology,
see the segments:

http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/comp-anat/comp-anat-6d.shtml
http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/comp-anat/comp-anat-6e.shtml

There is some controversy over whether humans are frugivores or
faunivores. In either case, we are not "natural" vegetarians (in
the normal human usage of the term): there is no such thing as
a strict vegan primate in nature. They all eat insects, even if
incidental.

Mike Kinnaird <[log in to unmask]>:
>Some primates eat a small amount of animal products (mainly bugs) but it is
>generally accepted that they do not need this additional food which forms
>less than 5% of the diet.

Tom:
See the segments below for statements by well-known primatologists
re: the necessity of animal foods in primate diets, esp. chimps
and gorillas:

http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/comp-anat/comp-anat-2a.shtml
http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/comp-anat/comp-anat-2b.shtml

See also the remarks re: primates showing signs of vitamin B-12
deficiencies when fed strict vegetarian diets in captivity:

http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/comp-anat/comp-anat-7a.shtml

If it is "generally accepted" that primates do "not need" the
animal food component of their diet, then perhaps you can give some
quotes (from primatology/biology journals) - in context - documenting
this view.  So far, the only folks that I have seen making such claims
are raw/vegan diet gurus - some of whom are intellectually dishonest
and specialize in quoting material out of context and misrepresenting
the meaning of scientific research.

PS  All material in this post written by me is:  Copyright 2000 by
Thomas E. Billings, all rights reserved. Request permission if you
want to
crosspost to other lists.

Tom Billings
http://www.beyondveg.com