Chimpanzees... the Not-so-distant Cousins of Humans

Chimpanzees are members of the Hominidae family, along with humans, gorillas, & orangutans, so they have similar genetic coding to humans.

In fact, some studies have been able to confirm that they share with humans 94 percent of their DNA sequences making them the most likely immediate evolutionary precedent of human beings.

Through the efforts and fame of Jane Goodall, people perceive them much more favorably now.

Jane Goodall discovered the ability of chimps to use tools and effectively communicate with each other that introduced the possibility that chimps may indeed be man's relatives.

Brief Physical Description

Chimpanzees have pinkish skin underneath their thick black hair and strong four feet that are used to walk on the grounds and climb trees.

With the use of their knuckles for support, they swing from one tree to another. Their opposable thumbs make them capable of gripping tools. They have hairless faces, fingers, palms, and soles. They are also tailless.

Male chimps are heavier and larger than females. Males weigh a mean of 90 pounds and on the average are four feet tall. Their observed average life span is 50 years.

Chimpanzee Subspecies

Chimpanzees may be classified into these subspecies:

• Pan troglodytes troglodytes are those that could be traced to the forested central regions of the area between Gambia and the river called Niger.
• Pan troglodyte verus are found in the western parts of the range between Gambia and the Niger river.
• Pan troglodytes scheinfurthri are those that come from the eastern portion of the abovementioned area.
• Bonobo pan paniscus, also referred to as Pygmy Chimpanzees, originate from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Their Behavior

For communication, chimpanzees make use of calls composed of grunts, panting, and barking.

Each of them has unique food calls.

To convey their emotions and other messages, they change their postures and also make use of gestures and facial expressions. When angry they stand on their two hind legs and swing vigorously their front legs or arms. When they are threatened or afraid, they grin.

They are also fond of touching, kissing, and embracing to show affection. They stay in social groups with structures call fusion-fission.

They usually go in groups of up to six members. They do not stay long in these groups and constantly change their company.

Siblings though are observed to often travel together and so do the mother and her children.

Some males have their constant male travel partner too. The males rule over the females. They resolve their conflicts with threats than doing an actual attack against each other.

When the female's rump is enlarged, they become sexually attractive to the males. This swelling also signals her willingness to receive the sexual attempts of males.

They are observed to start to engage in sexual activities as early as their tenth year of existence.

Diet

Chimps hunt and forage their food. The adults feed the younger ones.

Sixty percent of their foods are fruits; 20 percent are leaves of trees; blossoms account for 17 percent; and the rest are animal food such as those found in their habitat like termites and eggs of birds.

They also drink water. They live on food that is available in their environment and do not have any special diet.

Their Natural Habitats

Chimpanzees are known to reside in mountain forests, grasslands, tropical rainforests, and forest savannas.

They can be found in at least twenty-one countries in Africa such as Uganda and Tanzania.

One of the well-known reserves for them is the Jane Goodall Institute Chimp Eden in the Gombe National Park. This haven has a vast area of woodlands, thick forests, and open areas where they are free to roam and play.

Gombe is one of the best places to see them on an african wildlife safari. For more information about chimpanzees and Jane Goodall's work, check out the store below for books and DVDs

Jane Goodall's
Wild Chimpanzees DVD