Chimpanzee facts

October 12, 2010 | In: Animal facts for kids

CLASS: MAMMALIA
ORDER: PRIMATES
FAMILY: PONGIDAE
GENUS & SPECIES: Pan troglodytes

RANGE:
Historical: North of river Zaire, from Senegal to Tanzania.
Current: Western and Central Africa

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
Length: Female: 28-33 in.; Male: 30-36 in.
Weight: Female: 176 lbs.; Male: 198 lbs.
Coloration: Predominantly black; often gray on back after 20 years. Short white beard common in both sexes. The skin is variable from pink to brown or black, normally darkening with age. Infants have white “tail-tuft.”

DIET:
Wild: Ripe fruits, young plant leaves, tree seeds, flowers, galls resin and bark, insects (including termites which they fish with small sticks and grass stems) and birds occasionally.

BEHAVIOR: All chimpanzee are members of a community of 15 to 120. Males form border patrols, frequently visiting the boundary of their range. Males will attack a lone male by biting and hitting them. Mothers which migrate to a neighboring community risk attacks also. Chimpanzee are predominently arboreal. (tree dwellers)

ADAPTATION: They are inventive problem-solvers. They have learned to use their hands like man. Tools are used for getting some food. They depend heavily upon their sense of smell. All their teeth are large compared to human.

BREEDING & GROWTH: Females raised in captivity begin mating at 8-9 years of age. Give birth at 10-11 years of age. Wild females mature 3-4 years later. Chimpanzees give birth to one in 8-9 1/2 months. Twins are rare. Weight at birth is around 4 lbs. Longevity is around 40 to 45 years.

STATUS: The main threat comes from habitat destruction, particularly commercial logging, hunting for bush meat and commercial exploitation for overseas trade. Some countries they are extinct.

GENERAL INFORMATION: They travel sometimes with other communities, and may share overlapping ranges. Males are larger and stronger than females. They sleep in nests, made fresh every night. Usually the nests are in the tallest trees, in the crotch of branches with a leafy canopy overhead. Adults sleep alone, except when infants with their mothers.