Chimpanzee

True Wildlife | Chimpanzee | The chimpanzee (chimp) is one of the largest primates, with the chimpanzee being most closely related to the human, thegorilla and the orangutan. The chimpanzee is native to Africa. There are two different species of chimpanzee, the common chimpanzee and the pygmy chimpanzee. These two species of chimpanzee are separated by the African Congo river so dont really come into contact with one another.

Chimps

Physical Characteristics

Noisy and curious, intelligent and social, the chimpanzee is the mammal most like a human. Chimpanzees fascinate humans and are favorites both in zoos and the wild.

In East Africa the chimpanzee is found in the wild in Tanzania and Uganda, but only in captivity in Kenya. Gombe National Park in Tanzania is the first park in Africa specifically created for chimpanzees.

The chimpanzee has a thickset body with long arms, short legs and no tail. Much of the body is covered with long black hair, but the face, ears, fingers and toes are bare. They have hands that can grip firmly, allowing them to pick up objects. The discovery that they used "tools" for certain purposes surprised the world.

Chimpanzees

Habitat

Chimps are mainly found in rain forests and wet savannas. While they spend equal time on land and in trees, they do most of their feeding and sleeping in trees.

BehaviorChimps live in loose communities which can number anywhere from 10 to over 100 individuals. The entire troop may never assemble all together, but they share a home range which is fiercely protected from intruders. Community members forage by themselves or in small groups that are all male, all female or mixed. Female chimpanzees emigrate when they reach adolescence. Since a community’s female members are mostly unrelated they do not associate closely and are not even necessarily on friendly terms. Males, however, share blood ties and often cooperate. Mothers and male offspring also maintain ties that can last throughout their lives.

Chimpanzee 

Chimps are incredibly vocal and use a complicated system of sounds to communicate with each other. They hoot, scream, grunt and drum on hollow trees with the flat of their hands, sometimes for hours. The discovery that chimpanzees used "tools" surprised the world. Their use of sticks to collect ants and termites from their nests and rocks to smash open nuts gave scientists proof that not only humans use cognitive thinking to problem-solve.

Chimps touch each other a great deal and may kiss when they meet. They also hold hands and groom each other. An adult chimp often has a special "friend" or companion with which it spends a lot of time. Female chimps give their young a great deal of attention and help each other with babysitting chores. Older chimps in the group are usually quite patient with energetic youngsters.

Baby Chimpanzee 

Diet

Chimps are diurnal (but often active on moonlit nights) and begin their activities at dawn. After descending from their night nests they hungrily feed on fruits, their principal diet, and on leaves, buds and blossoms. After a while their feeding becomes more selective, and they will choose only the ripest fruit. They usually pick fruit with their hands, but they eat berries and seeds directly off the stem with their lips. Their diet consists of up to 80 different plant Foods.

Baby Chimpanzee