Common chimpanzee

Where are they located?

Chimpanzees are generally found across equatorial Africa, from east to west. Currently, their distribution is discontinuous, ranging from southern Senegal to western Tanzania and Uganda. Chimpanzees still have, by far, the most extensive geographic distribution compared to any other ape.

Although they are found in over 20 African countries, today only Gabon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Cameroon host a significant number of chimpanzees. They may already be extinct in Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, and Togo.

What is its habitat?

Chimpanzees live throughout Africa's forest belt, but their typical habitat is the tropical rainforest. However, they are also found in many arid areas, such as woodlands, savannas, or agricultural lands. Their altitudinal location is also not an issue, as chimpanzees can be found from sea level up to altitudes of 3,000 m.

Although they usually move on the ground, during the day they climb trees, where they sleep, eat, and socialize.

Are they endangered?

Wild chimpanzees are at high risk of extinction in the near future. They have already disappeared from some African countries and are on the verge of doing so from many others.

They are fully protected by national and international laws in all countries within their range. It is illegal to capture, kill, or consume them.

These are the main threats to the Pan troglodytes:

Poaching

Poaching is the greatest threat to many chimpanzees. Hunting for meat has long been a subsistence activity, but today it has become a profitable business, to the extent that many urban residents pay large sums of money for it. When chimpanzees are killed for meat, their offspring are often captured and sold in cities as pets.

Additionally, they are sometimes injured or killed in traps set for other animals. Some people also kill or poison them to protect their crops. Approximately 1,000 confiscated chimpanzees are now in sanctuaries in countries within their range.

Habitat Loss and Degradation

Chimpanzee habitat has been severely reduced and fragmented due to the conversion of forests into agricultural land, extractive industries (logging, mining, and oil), and extensive road projects. It is worth noting that Africa is facing a large-scale expansion of oil palm plantations, driven by international demand for this product.

All these activities increase hunting pressure because they improve access to remote forest areas.

Diseases

Infectious diseases, such as the Ebola virus, also kill chimpanzees.

Assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as an Endangered Species (2016).

Chimpanzee

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Did you know…?

Female chimpanzees can have up to 9 offspring during their lifetime, but only one-third survive through infancy.

Young chimpanzees can survive without their mothers once they are weaned, with an older relative or close sibling taking on the caregiving role.

Sibling bonds are strong, as several young people of different ages can travel with their mother at any time.

Aside from humans, chimpanzees are the only animals that not only attack intruders, but also penetrate neighboring territories with the intention of harming and killing everyone they encounter.

The swelling of the female genital area communicates her sexual status to other community members. It is highly visible, even from a distance.

Young males tend to groom larger or more dominant males rather than those around them. Males often groom females, but they tend to do so even more when females are in heat.

The Pan troglodytes is known for attacking, killing, and consuming members (especially offspring) of its neighboring communities. When males kill and eat their females, what they are trying to do is "eliminate the genes" that are not theirs.

The scientific name of the species is confusing. Pan refers to the Greek god of the woods, which is quite appropriate for these animals, but the term troglodytes means someone who lives in holes or caves. As we have seen, chimpanzees do not usually use caves.

Goosebumps are a sign of emotion, but they can be an automatic response to a new or frightening stimulus.

Frequently asked questions

How do they recognize each other?

Chimpanzees are our closest relatives. We share 98% of our genes. It is believed that humans and chimpanzees evolved from a common ancestor that lived between 4 and 8 million years ago.

Males weigh from 28 to 70 kg, and females between 20 and 50 kg. When standing, they measure between 0.7 and 0.86 m tall, with females being slightly smaller than males.

Chimpanzees move on all fours. Since their arms are longer than their legs, they support themselves on their knuckles and the soles of their feet. However, they can also stand upright and walk on their hind legs for more than a kilometer.

Their fingers and toes are long and have opposable thumbs, which allows them to use their hands like "hooks" to move from branch to branch and pick up objects.

Brown to black hair covers almost their entire body. The skin on their face, ears, palms, and soles of their feet is bare, with a color that varies between pink and black.

Their ears and mouth are prominent, and they may have hair on their chin. Young chimpanzees have very pale skin and a white tuft that disappears when they become adults.

How do they mate?

Both males and females are known to mate with multiple individuals. There are several mating patterns in Pan troglodytes. These are the most frequent:

A popular female becomes the focus of a group of males.
The dominant male controls the female's sexual access, preventing other males from interacting with her.
The male takes the female away from the community's territory.

Reproduction takes place throughout the year. Females have a 35-day reproductive cycle, and males copulate with them when they are receptive. The first birth usually occurs when females are between 13 and 14 years old, and gestation lasts about 8 months. Females can be reproductive until approximately 40 years of age.

When an infant survives, the interval between subsequent births is 5 to 7 years. Females do not reproduce frequently because the young depend on their milk, protection, and education for a long period.

Are there subspecies?

Four chimpanzee subspecies have been identified, differing in appearance, location, and behavior.

Pan troglodytes troglodytes in Central Africa.
Pan troglodytes verus in West Africa.
Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii in the Congo Basin.
Pan troglodytes ellioti in Cameroon and Nigeria.

What do they feed on?

Chimpanzees are omnivores, eating both plants and animals. Fruits make up half of their diet and they generally supplement it with leaves, stems, seeds, flowers, bark, mushrooms, honey, resin, eggs, and insects (especially termites).

They occasionally hunt cooperatively to kill and eat medium-sized mammals such as wild pigs, other primates, and young antelopes.

They also eat soil, possibly for the minerals it contains. They may also eat plants with potential medicinal value to relieve stomachaches or reduce the number of internal parasites.

The Pan troglodytes is diurnal. It spends most of its time foraging for food, with peaks of activity in the early morning and at dusk.

The diet varies depending on the season and location.

About their young

Usually, only one infant is born, but sometimes twins are born. For the first 6 months, the infants do not leave their mother's belly. After that, they travel on their mother's back. Chimpanzee babies stop suckling between 3 and a half and 4 and a half years old.

The young are dependent on their mother until they reach puberty, usually at 7 or 8 years old. During this period, they learn to groom, nest, forage, and use tools. They can maintain social bonds with their mother for the rest of their lives, especially if they are mother and daughter.

Although males can be kind and playful with the young, they do not provide any direct parental care. They provide indirect care by patrolling borders to scare away other potentially dangerous male animals.

Do they have predators?

Chimpanzees are strong and agile when moving through the trees, and they have exceptional intelligence. Because they spend so much time in trees, they remain safe from terrestrial animals. However, they do have some predators capable of climbing trees: leopards, Africa's largest snake (African rock python), lions, and snake eagles. Infants are the most vulnerable individuals.

However, humans are by far the chimpanzees' main enemy. Not only because they destroy their habitat, but also because they hunt them, even though it is illegal.

When they sense an enemy approaching, they emit screams and noises to warn their companions and escape. When confronting predators, they scream and use objects within reach to defend themselves and scare them away. If the animal does not leave, they quickly escape through the trees.

What is its life expectancy?

Average life expectancy in the wild: 40-50 years.
Average life expectancy in captivity: 60 years.

What is its global population?

At the turn of the century, about 2 million chimpanzees lived in African forests. Current wild population estimates put them between 170,000 and 300,000 individuals. There are also many chimpanzees in zoos, research and rehabilitation centers, and other facilities around the world. Those living in rehabilitation centers had been used for advertising, entertainment, or as pets.