the chimpanzee - in detail....
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Threats to the population
Where do they live?
What do they eat?
How long do they live for?
How much do they weigh?
How tall are they?
Distinctive features
Reproduction
What habitat do they live in?
scientific name
Pan troglodytes
how many exist?
150,000 – 200,000 in the wild
Numbers have plummeted over the last 20 years where it is believed over 1 million used to roam in Africa. When looked at on a yearly basis, equates to a periodic loss of approximately 40,000 Chimpanzees per year.
population status!
The IUCN is The World Conservation Union, one of their many roles is to categorise animal species if their population numbers are declining. They have a red list of threatened species and unfortunately the Chimpanzee has a place on this list. The current status of the Chimpanzee is NEAR THREATENED
To learn more about the IUCN's Red List of endangered animals and the work it does please follow the link IUCN Red List
threats to the population!
There are two key areas which threaten the existence of chimpanzees: -
- Deforestation
- Poaching
Deforestation
Africa is experiencing rapid population growth which inevitably puts pressure on land. Unfortunately humans win in the majority of cases and much of the forest is cleared to make way for new settlements and agriculture (growing crops and grazing for livestock). As Africa is still firmly within the developing world it has been keen to exploit its natural resources and generate revenue. This has brought an influx of logging and prospective mineral exploration (mining) to the forest areas, all to the detriment of the chimpanzee habitat.
Chimpanzee mid-thought
Africa’s clearing of the forest has been catastrophic and it is estimated that more than 80% of the forest’s original cover has been lost due to the human population’s demand for land and resources.
Poaching
The bushmeat trade is still relatively big business in Africa. Chimpanzees are killed for their meat and illegally sold in urban markets. The majority of the poaching is performed by the loggers who not satisfied with destroying the chimpanzees habitat also kill them and make extra money through selling their carcass. In Central and West Africa 3 – 5 million tonnes of bushmeat are killed each year and in some areas bushmeat is 75% cheaper than domestic meat.
Up to mischief
Sadly vast numbers of baby Chimpanzees are also snatched by poachers who sell them as pets to both domestic and international buyers. Although this is illegal the resources simply aren’t there to regulate the wide areas occupied by chimpanzees and the industry remains. The capture of a baby chimpanzee usually means the death of its mother and other members of the community who would try and protect the baby.
In some areas chimpanzees are still used for medicinal purposes, traditions dating back many years that almost impossible to eradicate. Locals will also kill chimpanzees to protect their crops. Other threats include disease and scientific research (drug tests etc.).
where do they live?
Main chimpanzee concentrations
what does it eat?
Chimpanzees are omnivores. This means they eat both plants and meat. Over 95% of their diet will consist of leaves, fruit, tree bark and seeds. However they also eat termites, ants and other small animals such as bush pigs and smaller monkeys. Eating usually occurs individually but if one of the group makes a big kill, the rest of the group will usually beg to secure a piece of the catch
how long do they live for?
Chimpanzees live in the wild on average between 35 – 40 years, longer in captivity.
how much do they weigh?
In the wild males weigh between 35 – 60 kilograms and females between 25 – 50 kilograms. However MacMac Clothing’s own Chubby Chimp is tipping the scales towards the 80 kilogram mark, which made it very easy for us to name him.
how tall are they?
When erect, Chimpanzees stand between 3 – 5 ˝ feet tall. Chimpanzees when moving across the ground tend to walk on all fours, hence they spend most of their lives hunched up, rarely demonstrating their full stance.
what are their distinctive features?
Having a chat and a munch
The most common and underlying feature is their similarity to humans both in physical attributes and psychological behaviour. Physically they use their hands to assist them with eating and use tools as a way of hunting&acquiring food. Sticks and long bits of grass are used to capture termites, while stones are used to crack open nuts. Objects are also known to be thrown at enemies.
Their face is highly recognisable with dark red eyes and a large puffed-up pout of a mouth. Their ears are always very large and their nose moulds into their face. Their arms are longer than their legs and extend beyond their knees. The body is covered with a thick brown to black carpet of fur leaving the face, palms and soles of the feet bare. They have a striking innocent / cheeky look about them, which makes them so loveable.
Baby chimp being curious
how often do they reproduce?
Chimpanzees breed all year round. Females can be fertilised by two different males and the gestation period usually takes 7 – 8 months. One baby is commonly born; it is very rare for twins to occur. First time mothers usually have no idea of how to look after their newborn but learn through watching other more experienced mother’s within the group.
Baby chimp hitching a ride on its mum
For the first 5 months the baby stays clenched to its mother’s chest and is carried everywhere. At 6 months it begins to walk but remains dependent on its mother up to the age of two. After a couple of years it is likely the mother will have another baby leaving the other to live independently. This young chimp will then spend most of its time with other chimps of a similar age in the group. Together they learn where the best feeding grounds are and how to behave as a senior member of the group.
what habitat do they live in?
Due to the break up of habitats mostly caused by human behaviour, Chimpanzees have had to adapt to a range of environments. They can be found in habitats ranging from dense evergreen forest&swamp forests, leading all the way up to arid woodland&savannah grasslands.
Chimpanzees like to live in groups of 20 – 60 animals within an average area of 18 – 21 km squared. A dominant male is present in each group. They spend most of the day in the trees and sleep in makeshift nests of vegetation which they make fresh on a daily basis. Youngsters tend to swing from branch to branch and spend a lot of time playing or learning skills (by observation) from their mother.
How is macmac making a difference?
To see how macmac clothing is helping conserve Chimpanzees in Africa please visit our conservation projects area.
References!
I would like to thank the Jane Goodall Institute, WWF, Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund and the IUCN for helping me compile the above information.
