Chimpanzee
Houston Zoo
Chimpanzees are great apes (not monkeys) who are native to the continent of Africa. We share approximately 98% of our DNA with chimps, so it’s fair to say that we are 98% chimpanzee, and chimps are 98% human.
Chimpanzees are an endangered species. Today, there are estimated to be merely 170,000-300,000 chimpanzees left in Africa, and their population is decreasing rapidly.
Deforestation
Threats
- Habitat destruction
- Hunting
- Disease
Reproduction
- Chimpanzees live in multi-male, multi-female communities. The females may mate with multiple males, and the males generally treat all offspring as if they were their own, since there is no way to know for sure.
- Females have a bright pink bottom that signals to males when they are fertile.
- A female chimp will usually have her first child at around the age of 14 years old.
What they eat ?
Chimpanzees are omnivores.
- Wide variety fruit and leaves
- Insects, bark, eggs, nuts
- Even monkeys and other small animals for meat
- There is evidence that in addition to their regular diet, chimpanzees may eat certain plants for their medicinal value, such as to sooth an upset stomach or get rid of intestinal parasites
Communication
- Complex system of vocalizations, gestures, body postures and facial expressions.
- They can communicate with each other even over long distances with loud calls called pant-hoots, or by drumming the buttresses of trees
Chimpanzee Facts
- In the wild, chimpanzees live in large groups of 15 to 120 individuals.
- Gestational period, is 230 days.
- They have 32 teeth
- Standing upright, and adult chimpanzee can be as much as 5 feet tall and weigh up to approximately 150 pounds.
- They cannot swim, due to the structure and density of their bodies.
- Senses of sight, taste, and hearing are similar to those of humans.
- Chimpanzees can live for more than 50 years.