The great ape phylogenetic tree. All great apes shared a common ancestor until approximately 12–16 million years ago. Around this time, orangutans diverged from the tree and evolved into a separate species. Gorillas separated approximately 6–8 million years ago, while chimpanzees and humans shared a common ancestry until ~4.5–6 million years ago, when they split up into distinct species. Figure based on [1].
