If Evolution is true, then why don't we see apes evolving in zoos?

Question

I understand that Evolution allegedly took millions of years. Considering new life is ushered into the world everyday, why don't we see it happening before our eyes?

Even though my profile says that I am a Christian, I am not looking for a heated arguement or insults. I am keeping an open mind - regardless of my beliefs. If you have some difinitive visual evidence of Evolution, please feel free to share.

Answer 1

The fact is we DO see it happening before our eyes. The essential definition of evolution is "the change in gene frequencies in populations" and that's something that's always been happening. It happens very slowly, but it is noticeable.
One example in humans is the slow disappearance of the blue eye gene - scientists supsect that it'll disappear within a few hundred years (like I said, very slowly). Recently, they found one species of Darwin's finches has evolved to have an even smaller beak.
Evolution is rarely drastic and always gradual, but if you pay attention, you can see it everywhere.

Answer 2

All animals and plants are evolving. It is, however, a very slow process. Evolution has had billions of years to work and it does so very well. All apes are evolving including humans.

Speciation, that is the development of new species (not breeds as in dogs), has been observed in the laboratory and the experiments have been repeated. Species change over time and new species develop. That is what evolution is.

There is an excellent website called the Talk Origins Archive
http://www.talkorigins.org
Check the FAQ in that. You could also look at the paper "29+ Evidences for MacroevolutionThe Scientific Case for Common Descent" at http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/comdesc/

There is an enormous amount of literature available on evolution. There is more and stronger evidence for evolution than there is for either Newtonian or Einsteinian gravity. Evolution is both fact and theory, you should read something about this fascinating science.


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Answer 3

My students have asked me similar questions and I'll share with you what I always tell them. Evolution in general does take a long time, but can happen more rapidly depending on the species itself and its environment. One fairly fast change is actually taking place in our species: wisdom teeth. Generations preceeding my parents and grandparents were most often born with wisdom teeth and were never bothered by them. From that time to present, many people are born with wisdom teeth, but must have them removed because their mouths are too small to accomodate them. Now, it is becoming more prevalent for children to be born without wisdom teeth at all. This simple example shows how even we are changing and adapting to our environment and needs. And even though this has taken a couple hundred years and mutliple generations, it is actually happening quite rapidly. I would also suggest that other species are experiencing similar simple changes that we may not see immediately because they are so small.
I too am a Christian and a scientist. I believe evolution was God's amazing means of creation, and use the fact that no other species has evolved anywhere close to our capabilties as reassurance that he did in fact create us as unique creatures after his own image. Why does it matter if we had to take a few steps to get here?

Answer 4

A zoo is a very tightly controlled environment (perhaps even down to the level of which ape is allowed to mate with another).

Evolution works over geological time by having natural forces "select" characteristics which confer some sort of survival/procreation advantage. This relies (presumably) on things like freedom to mate, foraging for their own food, having to survive battles, etc.

In a zoo these environmental forces are taken away, and so evolution does not take place (and even if it did, it would be much slower than "before our eyes").

Not sure if I've made my points clearly so feel free to drop me an email!

Answer 5

Evolution happens through advantages seen by genetic errors. In the zoo or any controlled setting, there really are no advantages to be had. Much of their breeding is controlled and all of their needs are taken care of.

As genetic abnormalities arise (if they arise, since they are not all that common and only a few generations of animals have been born in captivity) they are merely washed back into the genetic pool with no advantagous weighting.

I disagre with the other posters (and so do most scientists) evolution happens very quickly... one random freak child born with something that makes them better able to survive and pass their new traits.

Answer 6

It depends on the individual life cycle of each animal. That's why researchers use fruit flies, they have very short life spans and they can see changes over many generations fairly quickly. Also evolution makes changes according to environmental conditions. The environment isn't changing that much within your own lifetime. Just think about endangered species. We have actually lost some species within the last few decades. These animals disappearing will change the food chain. Just like when particular trees all die at once the animals that depended on them adapt - or die out. The world is in constant flux, that is the basis of evolution.

Answer 7

Evolutionary changes take place across many generations. Generation after generation may remain essentially the same, and suddenly a tiny random mutation changes one individual. That mutation may not be visible to the eye; it could be something like resistance to a specific disease. If the mutation helps the individual and its descendants to have more babies than the unchanged population, it is a "successful" mutation and contributes to the evolution of that species. If it hurts the individual's ability to "be fruitful and multiply," it won't be passed on. Many tiny successful mutations eventually add up to larger changes. We can see the changes visually by looking at fossils, and by comparing species which we know to be related genetically.

Answer 8

You answered your own question. Evolution happens over MILLIONS of years. If you have a young child or sibling, watch them every day over a year. Do this without glancing at their pictures. Do you actually notice them growing? No, of course you don't. But if you see a child who is 1 year old and then see them again at 2 years old, you will notice a massive change.
Now, multiply this effect by several million. THAT is why we cannot notice evolution. We only have evidence of evolution. And no, the evidence is not indisputable, but it is the best description that science can provide.

Answer 9

We do see apes evolving, the change in allele frequency over time, in zoos. Every few generations you can see a change in genetic make-up by doing a karyotype. What I think you mean is speciation; where the apes would evolve into new species. You are not going to see that in zoos any time soon, as there is no geographic variation, no selection pressure over variation for natural selection to work on. Look at chimpanzees and bonobos. They are separated by a river and the change in allele frequency is obvious, but speciation is not predictable there just yet. You need to inform yourself in a evolutionary manner, as your argument is rather feeble. Incoherent to any one with a modicum of biological training. Go here to start, as it refutes creationism rather better than I can.

http://www.talkorigins.org

Answer 10

Evolution occurs over hundreds of thousands of years. We view life through the eyes of humanity.....a hundred years seems like forever to us. If you look at life through the "eyes of the universe," we exist but for a brief moment. For those of us who believe that God created the universe and set in motion the evolution of species....I believe that God has His hand in what has evolved from His original design.....you can look at the fossil record and see evolutionary evidence. I don't understand why evolution and a belief in God have to exist separately from each other.