The Oliver mystery                                        

                     Genetics Gone Awry? :-Over the past Century several walking, breathing and more "human" than animal beings have lived among the Human Race, functioned in Human behavior patterns, and had the physical appearance of Homo sapiens, although it is not known for certain if in fact they were pure "animal" or a combination of Human/Animal.

OLIVER:
One example was "Oliver."  He was captured in the African Congo in the early 1970s along with several Primates and sold to animal trainers in South America. It was apparent from the very beginning that "Oliver" was not your ordinary Chimp. When captured, he had no hair on his chest, or his head. His other physical features included ears and a jawline, more typical of Man. But, the most amazing feature of "Oliver" was his decided CHOICE to walk totally upright, with a definite human gait. His intelligence made him able to learn to do what we do... he watched television, used the bathroom "facilities" even learned to feed the trainer's family dog. Two of his favorite beverages included beer and coffee. In fact? He was known to go to the kitchen, on his own, pour himself a cup of coffee and then return to watching television. His preference was to be with people, not Primates.

Unfortunately, he became "enamored" with the female HUMAN animal trainer and as a result, was sold to other animal trainers on the West Coast of the United States. They in turn, much to "Oliver's " dismay, took him on tour across the US.

Now, he lives in Texas with a female Chimp. If only "Oliver" could talk. If only he could tell us what his life was before being captured. His true origins will never be known.

ZANA:
This female "wild woman" was found in Russia in 1850, by a group of hunters. Her appearance was confusing, to say the least. her features were more of an Ape, than Human in that she had thick arms, legs and was covered with hair. Her behavior originally was described as "vicious."

She was captured and began living in a village, where at first she was caged, so uncontrollable was her temper. Eventually she became more "civilized" although she never did become adjusted to living in heated rooms. Her preference was to be where it was cold.

Why is ZANA so different? It seems she eventually became the mother to many children, fathered by many different Humans. Unfortunately, ZANA had the habit of washing her children in the freezing river waters, and several of them simply did not survive.  As a result, the local villagers separated her from them and took the children to raise themselves. They did learn to speak and communicate.

ZANA died in approximately 1890, in that same village where she lived from 1850 after her capture. Her last child died in 1954. Much speculation has been raised about ZANA and her origins. No one knows for certain, but there is a possibility that she may have been an "ALMA," a creature from Central Asia, similar to our Bigfoot!