Taking a break from politics to post about the giant lion eating chimps of the Congo. Because it is just so damn cool!

Deep in the Congolese jungle is a band of apes that, according to local legend, kill lions, catch fish and even howl at the moon. Local hunters speak of massive creatures that seem to be some sort of hybrid between a chimp and a gorilla.

The most detailed and recent data comes from Cleve Hicks, at the University of Amsterdam, who has spent 18 months in the field watching the Bili apes - named after a local town - since 2004. His team's most striking find came after one of his trackers heard chimps calling for several days from the same spot.

When he investigated he came across a chimp feasting on the carcass of a leopard. Mr Hicks cannot be sure the animal was killed by the chimp, but the find lends credence to the apes' lion-eating reputation.

Holy crap! I have been aware for a long time that chimpanzees were not just the cute little mini-humans that are portrayed in circuses and kiddie programs. They kill and eat other monkeys, engage in rape, and murder chimps from other groups.

But these guys are like the Superman of the chimpanzee world. Killing lions? Damn that is very impressive! I wonder if they can do it individually, or if it takes a group? Because if these guys can take out a lion on their own they will own the Congo in the next 100 years. That is if we don't interfere.

I just love learning things like this.