Chimpanzee

There are four subspecies of chimpanzee; western (common), central African, east African and Nigerian. They are found in 22 countries from east to west along the equatorial belt in Africa. Because of their broad range, they live in a variety of habitats including dry savannah, evergreen rainforest, montane forests, swamp forests and dry woodlands. 

They are omnivorous meaning they will eat anything from fruit and vegetation to medium mammals. Chimps will use tools to obtain food, drink, clean themselves, gather out-of-reach objects and on occasion with use tools as weapons. 

They walk on all fours or ‘knuckle walk’, occasionally bipedal and are terrestrial and arboreal and will build nests for sleeping in trees at night.

Vocal and visual communication is important to Chimpanzees.  Infants have a white tail tuft that signals to all that they should be treated with care. This tuft disappears around five years of age.

Conservation Status

Did You Know?

A chimpanzee has the strength of five human males.