Chimpanzees: Our Closest Animal Cousins

Most people don't realize that chimpanzees, or Pan troglodytes, are very intelligent and are closely related to us. They share about 98% of our DNA. Like us, they use tools and live in complex social groups that include an alpha male and lifelong friendships. Their tools of choice are sticks for eating termites, rocks to crack nuts, and leaves as sponges.

Chimpanzees' intelligence is perhaps the most amazing thing about them. They recognize themselves in mirrors, remember hundreds of locations, communicate with gestures (similar to our sign language), and solve puzzles.

Conservation Status: Endangered

Their populations have declined dramatically according to the IUCN Red List. There are four main chimpanzee subspecies and they are all endangered. However, the Western Chimpanzee is actually listed as Critically Endangered. These endangered chimpanzees are one of the four great apes, along with gorillas, orangutans, and bonobos.

The main threats are:

Poaching - used for meat and black market trafficking (the babies are sometimes used as pets)
Habitat Loss - conversion of forest to farmland, logging and mining industries, transportation infrastructure such as huge road projects
Disease - such as Ebola, respiratory infections, anthrax, and other human diseases

Protecting chimpanzees helps everyone. They are considered an umbrella species. This means they need a large area of healthy forest to live. Protecting them means protecting their forests, which are home to many other smaller animals like Pangolins, frogs, and insects. The plants in these forests will also be saved, which humans need to help clean the air they breathe.

Where Do Chimpanzees Live?

Chimpanzees can be found in Central and West Africa. They live in African rainforests, woodland forests, and savannas. They build nests and sleep in trees every night. Their lifespans in the wild are 30 to 40 years, but in a zoo, they increase to 50 to 60 years. These endangered chimpanzees weigh between 70 and 130 pounds.

They mostly eat:

Fruit
Leaves
Nuts
Seeds
Insects
Occasionally small animals

Baby Chimpanzees

Chimpanzee mothers carry their babies for about 8 months before they are born. These baby chimpanzees are called infants. They ride on their mother's chest until they are old enough to ride on her back.

Baby chimpanzees depend on their mothers for several years. They learn by watching the adult chimps find food, use tools, groom, and even play. Young chimpanzees are very curious, playful, and form strong family bonds.

Chimpanzees in Zoos

Modern accredited zoos do a lot more than just display animals.

They participate in:

Conservation breeding programs
Scientific research
Public education
Fund field conservation

The best zoos take pride in teaching visitors about chimpanzees and why they need protection. Their habitats are known for providing enriching activities for their chimps and making sure they have the appropriate social groups.

Amazing Chimpanzee Facts

Some of the most amazing facts about chimpanzees are:

Chimpanzees are not monkeys.
Every chimpanzee has a unique fingerprint just like us humans.
Every chimpanzee community has its own traditions and behaviors.
They build a new nest almost every night.
They use more than 30 different tools in the wild.

How People Are Helping

Police and government officials are protecting rainforest habitats in their own ways. Wildlife rangers and anti-poaching patrols work to protect chimpanzees from illegal hunting. The government forms laws to protect the chimpanzees and their habitats. Wildlife sanctuaries for orphaned chimps are run by scientists and other caregivers.

Research is done with cameras and direct observations.

Local communities support these efforts by donations and reporting anything out of the ordinary. Most communities are very serious about protecting their natural resources - chimpanzees can be a great tourist attraction for certain authorized tours.

What You Can Do to Help

There are many ways you can help no matter your age.

Some of those ways are:

Supporting rainforest conservation. Through donations and spreading the word about endangered chimpanzees and why they need to be protected.
Recycle your electronics. Some of the mining needed to create your electronics comes from chimpanzee habitats.
Visit accredited zoos. Supporting them allows them to keep spreading the word and doing their research.
Learn about chimpanzees and other wildlife. Then, tell your friends about it.