Chimpanzee Facts
A Few Chimpanzee Facts Worth Knowing
We're generally fascinated by the antics of chimpanzees, and consequently are always interested in finding out a few new chimpanzee facts. After all, an animal that is so much like us in so many ways, is extremely cute as a baby, and extremely intelligent, is hard to ignore. We see them in zoos, and occasionally on TV, and when they are active you can watch them for hours. Not only do we watch them, they seem to take a certain amount of delight in watching us. That we seem to think they have much in common with us should come as no surprise - 89% of a chimp's DNA is identical to the DNA of a human.
You might even want one as a pet. That is not a good idea, according to most people who have a good understanding of the chimp. We'll get to that in a moment, but first a few chimpanzee facts about how and where they live, and some of their characteristics. Chimpanzees are native to Africa, especially the western part of the continent, where they are found in 21 countries. They number between 100,000 and 200,000 in the wild, and, as their habitat is constantly shrinking, they are considered to be a threatened species. Chimpanzees will be found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands and savannas, but generally prefer life in the tropical rain forests.
Unlike some primates, chimpanzees lack a tail. They have long black hair over most of their short, compact bodies, arms which are longer than their legs, and opposable thumbs (and opposable big toes as well), which means they can grasp items with both their hands and feet, and can use tools, such as sticks and rocks, for various purposes. The chimpanzee is quadrupedal, walking on all four limbs, but they can and do walk upright on occasion, though usually not for long distances. They are excellent climbers, and if you have observed them in a zoo, you've seen that they are excellent at swinging from tree branch to tree branch (or rope to rope in some zoos).
Chimpanzees are omnivores, and in their native habitats eat insects, fruits, nuts, seeds, and other vegetation. They eat meat on occasion, usually consisting of young monkeys, goats, or antelopes. Insects are also a part of their diet. They live in loose groups of 100 or more individuals, generally staying within smaller communities. However, the group as a whole will fiercely defend their territory, and have been observed using sticks as weapons. The makeup of smaller communities changes over time, as individual chimps move on. Males tend to bond and stick together, while females generally do not. A female and her male offspring will stick together however, sometimes for life, while the female offspring eventually move on to another community.
Chimps will spend long periods of time grooming one another, and also seem to enjoy touching. Chimps often have "best friends", with whom they spend a great deal of time. They have been observed holding hands, and even kissing and hugging. Their faces are capable of showing a wide range of emotion, from happiness and satisfaction, to fear and anger. Chimps seem to take great enjoyment in the very young among them, and even share babysitting chores at times. They are constantly communicating with one another by hoots and grunts, and even bang on trees with their hands to send signals to other chimps. They will make loud noises, to either warn other members of their group of danger, or let them know that they have found a good source of food.
An important set of chimpanzee facts addresses the issue of keeping them as pets. Probably the most important of these facts is "Don't". If you do get a baby chimp, it will no doubt be adorable, and expensive. It may also be traumatized from having been separated from its mother. Chimps, after they are born, stay with their mothers up to 10 years, and the bond is very strong. It takes about three years for the cute baby to mature, at which point you have an adult chimp, seven times stronger than you, who will do what it feels like doing, which could consist of destroying the interior of your home. Chimps are quite capable of throwing temper tantrums, even when normally well behaved. It goes without saying that a pet chimp can become one that is dangerous to have around. Pet chimpanzees often spend their final years in cages, and a chimp in captivity can live for up to 60 years. If you want to enjoy watching chimps, the zoo is definitely preferable to your living room as the place to do it.