Editing Gigantopithecus

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Wikipedia|Gigantopithecus}}
'''Gigantopithecus''' was the largest species of ape to have ever existed, and was known as '''Sha''kyanusho'' ''' in ancient times.{{Ref/Novel|Id=p169|Pri|Page=169}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=p212|Pri|Page=212}}
==History==
Sapient and capable of language, ''Gigantopithecus'' once had contact with other hominid species on [[Earth]]; together with humans and certain other intelligent primates, the Sha''kyanusho'' were similarly regarded as people.{{Ref/Reuse|p212}} They lived in the highlands north of [[Marontik]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=p145|Pri|Page=145-146}}{{Ref/Reuse|p186}}{{Ref/Reuse|p212}}

However, they were never particularly numerous, their total numbers rarely reaching more than one thousand even at their height. [[Mara]] was noted as being among the last five of her kind at the time when the [[Librarian]] indexed her species on [[Earth]] and the sole remaining individual when she was brought on [[Installation 07]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=p186|Pri|Page=186}}

During [[Master Builder]] [[Faber]]'s takeover of Installation 07, Mara lived in the concealed compound of the [[Lifeworker]] known as [[Genemender-Folder-of-Fortune]]. Genemender was under orders to [[mind transfer|extract and store the minds]] of all [[human]]s who carried ancestral memory imprints provided by the Librarian, converting their patterns into virtual form but giving them the opportunity to simulate physical interaction via manifesting themselves as sophisticated [[hard light]] holograms. This failed to deceive Mara who recognized them as mere illusions,{{Ref/Novel|Pri|Page=202}} but appeared to appreciate the company nonetheless. Eventually, Mara was the only physical presence in Genemender's station, before the arrival of [[Chakas]], [[Vinnevra]] and [[Gamelpar]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=p195|Pri|Page=195}} Mara and the others were later found by a Forerunner transport and taken to a facility overseen by [[Mendicant Bias]]. What happened to Mara following this and the Halo's subsequent near-collision with [[Wolf-faced planet|a planet]] was not specified.

At least one ''Gigantopithecus'', possibly Mara, was amongst the speicimens indexed in the [[Lifeworker Archive]] on Installation 07 as a part of the [[Conservation Measure]]. On [[2560#June|June 7, 2560]], this ''Gigantopithecus'' was observed by [[John-117]] who recognized it from reconstructions of the species.{{Ref/Novel|Id=EOD28|EOD|Chapter=28}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Primordium]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Point of Light]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Edge of Dawn]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:Ancient humanity]]
[[Category:Sapient species]]