The fascinating world of chimpanzees
Chimpanzees possess a unique culture, and their intelligence, responsiveness, and exuberance have made them ideal nonhuman subjects for study.
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Transcript
Chimpanzees are the closest living relatives to humans. Chimpanzees and the other apes—bonobos, orangutans, and gorillas—are part of the group of mammals called primates. Humans are also primates.
Chimpanzees live in parts of Africa, mostly in rainforests, but some make their homes in grasslands and woodlands.
Chimpanzees stand about 3 to 5 ½ feet tall. They generally weigh between 70 and 130 pounds. Their bodies are covered in thick brown or black hair. Like all apes, they do not have a tail.
Chimpanzees spend most of their time in trees—eating and playing during the day and sleeping in nests of leaves at night. They use their long arms to swing from branch to branch.
On the ground, they normally walk on all fours. But they also can stand and walk upright.
Chimpanzees eat a variety of foods including fruit, eggs, insects, seeds and other plant parts. Some even hunt and eat meat. They are very clever animals, able to use simple tools, such as sticks and stones, to find termites and smash open nuts.
Chimpanzees are social animals, living in groups of about 15 to 120. They communicate through sounds, facial expressions, and gestures. Some chimpanzees have been able to learn human sign language.
Females give birth about 7 ½ months after mating. Young chimpanzees ride on their mothers’ back until they are about two years old. They stay with their mothers for up to 10 years. Chimpanzees can live up to 60 years.
Chimpanzees live in parts of Africa, mostly in rainforests, but some make their homes in grasslands and woodlands.
Chimpanzees stand about 3 to 5 ½ feet tall. They generally weigh between 70 and 130 pounds. Their bodies are covered in thick brown or black hair. Like all apes, they do not have a tail.
Chimpanzees spend most of their time in trees—eating and playing during the day and sleeping in nests of leaves at night. They use their long arms to swing from branch to branch.
On the ground, they normally walk on all fours. But they also can stand and walk upright.
Chimpanzees eat a variety of foods including fruit, eggs, insects, seeds and other plant parts. Some even hunt and eat meat. They are very clever animals, able to use simple tools, such as sticks and stones, to find termites and smash open nuts.
Chimpanzees are social animals, living in groups of about 15 to 120. They communicate through sounds, facial expressions, and gestures. Some chimpanzees have been able to learn human sign language.
Females give birth about 7 ½ months after mating. Young chimpanzees ride on their mothers’ back until they are about two years old. They stay with their mothers for up to 10 years. Chimpanzees can live up to 60 years.
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