Chimpanzees are one of four types of great apes in the world, apart from gorillas, bonobos and orangutans. They are found occupying mainly the rain forests, woodlands and grasslands of West and Central Africa. A chimpanzee has face that is pinkish to blackish in color. Its entire body is covered with long black hair, with the exception of face, ears, fingers and toes. One major difference that distinguishes chimpanzees from monkeys is that the former does not have a tail. Chimpanzees have opposable thumbs and toes that help them in grasping objects easily. They have an omnivorous diet, which mainly includes fruit, plants, insects, eggs and meat. To get some more interesting facts and amazing information on chimps, read on.
Facts about Chimpanzee
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Hominidae
Subfamily: Homininae
Tribe: Hominini
Subtribe: Panina
Genus: Pan
Type Species: Simia troglodytes
Species: Pan troglodytes and Pan paniscus
Height (males): 35 to 70 kg
Weight (males): 3 to 4 feet
Height (females): 26 to 50 kg
Weight (females): 2 to 3½ feet
Natural Habitat: West and Central Africa
Diet: Fruit and plants, apart from insects, eggs and meat
Age: 40 years (in wild), 60 years (in captivity)
Age of Maturity (females): 13 years
Age of Maturity (males): 16 years
Gestation Period: 230 to 240 days (around 8 months)
Number of Offspring: One
Interesting & Amazing Information on Chimpanzees
- A female chimpanzee can give birth at any time of year. However, she gives birth every 3-4 years.
- A male chimpanzee hardly leaves the community into which he was born. However, the females frequently change her community in adolescence.
- Chimpanzees are vulnerable to many human diseases, like measles, influenza, hepatitis B, ringworm and cold sores.
- Chimpanzees have the knowledge of working with tools. They poke grass stems or twigs into termite or ant nests and eat the insects that cling to them. They can also break nut shells with the help of stones.
- Chimpanzees live in social communities of several dozen animals, known as troops. Hierarchies are formed by the adult males of a community, who are led by an Alpha Male.
- Chimpanzees might organize hunts periodically, to catch monkeys or small antelopes.
- Chimpanzees share more than 98 percent of the human DNA.
- Chimpanzees use a complicated system of sounds to communicate with each other.
- Chimpanzees use large sticks and branches as clubs or even throw them at enemies, just like humans.
- Chimps are both arboreal and terrestrial, though they spend much of their daytime on the ground.
- Chimps touch each other a lot and may even kiss when they meet. They have also been seen holding hands and grooming each other.
- It has been noticed by scientists that chimps use medicinal plants to treat themselves for illness and injury.
- Though chimpanzees are quadrupedal i.e. walk on all four limbs, they can easily stand and walk upright.
