Neanderthal genes 'survive in us'

I am baffled by those that are surprised about modern humans mating with Neanderthal. Given that some humans have sex with sheep and other farm animals, how could it be surprising that humans would not have sex with their closest relative? I would think it is obvious that similar primates will do it with one another.

RE: Neanderthal genes 'survive in us'

The results show that the genomes of non-Africans (from Europe, China and New Guinea) are closer to the Neanderthal sequence than are those from Africa.

The most likely explanation, say the researchers, is that there was limited mating, or "gene flow", between Neanderthals and the ancestors of present-day Eurasians.

This must have taken place just as people were leaving Africa, while they were still part of one pioneering population. This mixing could have taken place either in North Africa, the Levant or the Arabian Peninsula, say the researchers.

The Out of Africa theory contends that modern humans replaced local "archaic" populations like the Neanderthals...

What all of these articles are missing is the fact that most human and Neanderthal DNA was identical. Consequently, if 4% is clearly Neanderthal, for all we know, the percentage of identical DNA that we inherited from the Neanderthal might be much higher.