Chimpanzee
Pan troglodytes
Chimpanzees are regarded as humankind’s closest relative. They are especially skilled in their use of tools and are also perfectly adapted to climbing and moving between trees thanks to their long arms and fingers.
Characteristics
- Origin
Western, Central and Eastern Africa
- Habitat
tropical rainforests to savanna woodlands, at heights of up to 3,000 meters
- Diet
Fruit and nuts are their favourite food. In addition, they also eat leaves, herbs and bark, insects, honey and eggs and occasionally even small monkeys and antelopes.
- Status
estimated 170,000 to 300,000
- Size
up to 1.70 meters
- Weight
33 to 60 kg
- Gestation period
7 to 8 months
- Achievable age
approx. 40 years in the wild, 50 in human care
Threat Categories of IUCN
Skillful Fellows
Chimpanzees aren't just very communicative, they're also highly intelligent. They use tools to do things such as fishing for termites and ants from their nests or cracking nuts.
Did you know that ...
...chimpanzees live in large social communities of up to 80 animals,
...the females' striking backsides are a sign of fecundity
...and they are unusually aggressive towards unfamiliar members of the same species?
