Chimpanzees are probably the most well known of all the primates. Extremely intelligent, their family structure and development while young are extremely similar to our own.
where are they found?
They are found from South Senegal across the forested belt north of the river zaire right through to West Uganda and Tanzania.
what do they eat?
Favourite foods are ants, bananas, sugar cane, carrots and papaya. Chimpanzee diets consist of 60% fruit and 40% plants.In the wild chimpanzees will spend up to seven hours a day foraging for food. Chimpanzees eat up to 300 different types of forest plants and fruits.
chimpanzee facts
Chimpanzees are extremely intelligent, and can use tools, for example the water taps in their enclosures.
Chimpanzees love to climb high into the forest canopy, and often sleep high in the trees.
Chimpanzees love to play, even with their keepers!
Play fighting is popular in chimpanzee groups.
Chimpanzees live in large groups of up to 30 animals. The social structure is similar to a human family.
Until the age of one, young chimpanzees develop in the same way as a human baby, learning similar skills such as picking up and using objects.
Chimps can live to be 45 years old.
Apart from humans, chimpanzees are the only animal able to recognise themselves in a mirror
Chimpanzee DNA is extremely similar to human DNA, making them our nearest relatives in the animal world.
Several captive chimpanzees have learnt to communicate with keepers using sign language.
