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The chimpanzee (/ tʃ ɪ m p æ n ˈ z i /; Pan troglodytes), also simply known as the chimp, is a species of great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed one.
- Overview
- Natural history
- Conservation status
- Social behaviour
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chimpanzee, (Pan troglodytes), species of ape that, along with the bonobo, is most closely related to humans. Chimpanzees inhabit tropical forests and savannas of equatorial Africa from Senegal in the west to Lake Albert and northwestern Tanzania in the east. Individuals vary considerably in size and appearance, but chimpanzees stand approximately ...
Chimpanzees awaken at dawn, and their day is spent both in the trees and on the ground. After a lengthy midday rest, late afternoon is usually the most intensive feeding period. In the trees, where most feeding takes place, chimps use their hands and feet to move about. They also leap and swing by their arms (brachiate) skillfully from branch to branch. Movement over any significant distance usually takes place on the ground. Though able to walk upright, chimpanzees more often move about on all fours, leaning forward on the knuckles of their hands (knuckle walking). At night they usually sleep in the trees in nests they build of branches and leaves. Chimpanzees are unable to swim, but they will wade in water. The chimpanzee diet is primarily vegetarian and consists of more than 300 different items, mostly fruits, berries, leaves, blossoms, and seeds but also bird eggs and chicks, many insects, and occasionally carrion. Chimpanzees also hunt, both alone and in groups, stalking and killing various mammals such as monkeys, duikers, bushbucks, and wild pigs. They also appear to use certain plants medicinally to cure diseases and expel intestinal parasites.
The female chimpanzee bears a single young at any time of year after a gestation period of about eight months. The newborn weighs about 1.8 kg (about 4 pounds), is almost helpless, and clings to the fur of the mother’s belly as she moves. From about 6 months to 2 years, the youngster rides on the mother’s back. Weaning takes place at about 5 years. Males are considered adults at 16 years of age, and females usually begin to reproduce at about 13 years, but often only two offspring survive during her lifetime. The longevity of chimps is about 45 years in the wild and 58 in captivity; however, older individuals have been documented. For example, Cheetah the chimpanzee, an animal actor from the Tarzan movies of the 1930s and ’40s, was reported to have lived approximately 80 years.
Chimpanzees are an endangered species; their population in the wild has been reduced by hunting (primarily for meat), destruction of habitat from logging or farming, and commercial exportation for use in zoos and research laboratories. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) noted that, despite having one of the largest geographic ranges of the great apes, chimpanzee populations have fallen significantly since the 1980s. Lions and leopards also prey upon chimpanzees.
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Chimpanzees are lively animals with more extraverted dispositions than either gorillas or orangutans. They are highly social and live in loose and flexible groups known as communities, or unit groups, that are based on associations between adult males within a home range, or territory. Home ranges of forest-dwelling communities can be as small as a few square kilometres, but home ranges covering hundreds of square kilometres are known among savanna communities. A community can number from 20 or fewer to well over 100 members. Each consists of several subgroups of varying size and unstable composition. Social dominance exists, with adult males being dominant over adult females and adolescent males. Within a community, there are twice or three times as many adult females as adult males; the number of adults is about equal to the number of immature individuals. Communities usually divide into subgroups called parties, which vary widely in size. The dominance hierarchy among male chimpanzees is very fluid; individuals associate with each other and join and leave different subgroups with complete freedom. The dominant (alpha) male of a group can monopolize ovulating females through possessive behaviour. On the other hand, gang attack by subordinate males can expel an alpha male. Males spend all of their lives in the community they are born in, but occasionally a juvenile male may transfer to another community with his mother. In contrast to males, most females leave their group of birth to join a neighbouring group when they mature at around age 11. Female chimpanzees spend most of their time with their young or with other females. Those with dependent offspring are more likely to range alone or in small parties within narrow “core areas.” Females have been known to form coalitions against a bullying adult male or newly immigrated female.
Relations between different chimp communities tend to be hostile. Intruders on a group’s home range may be attacked, and adult males engage in boundary patrol. On rare occasions, a group may invade a neighbouring territory that is much smaller in size, and fatalities among the smaller group result. Infanticide and cannibalism by adult males, and to a lesser extent by adult females, have been observed. Victimized infants are not only those of neighbouring groups but also those born to newly immigrated females. Between- and within-group competition among individuals of the same sex is the likely cause of such violence. Sometimes a male and female will form a consortship, engaging in exclusive mating relationships by leaving other members of the group and staying in the periphery of the group range. This strategy, however, brings increased risk of attack by neighbouring groups.
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Learn about chimpanzees, the closest living relatives of humans, and their behavior, ecology, and conservation status. Find out how they live in communities, hunt, use tools, and communicate with each other.
Learn about chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, and their behavior, habitat, diet, and threats. See stunning images of these great apes and how they use tools, communicate, and interact with humans.
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Learn about chimpanzees, our closest cousins, and the endangered species they are. Find out how WWF works to protect their habitats, populations and future in Central and West Africa.
Apr 7, 2021 · Chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ), also known as chimps, are one of our closest living relatives and members of the great ape family, along with gorillas, orangutans, bonobos and humans. Chimps...
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Learn about the chimpanzee, one of our closest relatives, and the challenges and solutions for its conservation. Find out about its behaviors, diet, habitats, and threats from hunting and habitat loss.
Learn about the general features, diet, and social behavior of chimpanzees, the closest living relative to humans. Find out about the critically endangered masked chimpanzee subspecies and the difference between chimpanzees and bonobos.
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