MINI BELIEVE IT OR NOT –

Because orangutans are not actually native to India, where the film is set, the makers of The Jungle Book decided to model King Louie after the extinct Gigantopithecus

  • Gigantopithecus existed from 9 million years ago until roughly 100 thousand years ago
  • It was native to China, India, and Vietnam
  • It was the largest known ape that ever lived, standing up to 9.8 feet tall and weighing 1,190 pounds
  • Disney recreated the extinct ape just to remain true to India’s realistic animal life. All this in spite of the fact that they were making a movie about talking animals

MINI BION

“BIONs” – short for Believe It or Not – is the word we use at Ripley’s to refer to anything that is unbelievable and worthy to become part of Ripley’s lore and collection.