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Common Name: Chimpanzee
Scientific Name: Pan troglodytes
Status: Endangered
Chimpanzees are outstanding animals, and are the closest relatives to humans. They are extremely intelligent and use and make a variety of tools. Dr. Jane Goodall is a researcher who has studied animal behaviour with chimpanzees at the Gombe Game Stream Reserve in Tanzania, Africa for over 30 years. She goes all around the world lecturing to raise money for chimpanzees.
Appearance
When people say chimpanzee, they may think of a monkey, gorilla, baboon or orangutan. However, chimpanzees are their own unique species and are not the same as all primates. They resemble a gorilla, but much smaller. Their fur is dark black, covering most of their body, but some spots are fur-less, showing the pinkish skin underneath. They have broad shoulders and strong arms and legs. Their face and stomach, as well as their hands and feet have no fur. Just like humans, they have opposable thumbs with five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot.
Behaviour
Chimpanzees are xenophobic which means that they are scared of foreigners that come into their land. They are also very caring for other family members and are very sociable. Chimpanzees are also ingenious!
Habitat
Chimpanzees live in groups, in jungles and forests in Africa. Every night they use sticks and twigs to make a new nest to share with their children, or for themselves if they don’t have children. Unfortunately, people are cutting down the forests and jungles of Africa and destroying homes for chimpanzees. Visit http://www.janegoodall.ca/ to help raise money and save the lives of chimpanzees!
Diet
Fruits, especially bananas are a chimps favourite snack. They always are happy finding a fruit tree to eat from. Chimpanzees enjoy eating the bugs on other chimps’ coats when they groom each others fur. Occasionally, a chimp will find a monkey and kill it to eat. They use grass to stick into termite’s nests to eat from.
