Research by Mary-Claire King in 1973 found 99 % identical DNA between human beings and chimpanzee.
Brain of Chimpanzee is 282 to 500 cubic centimeters.
Brain of Human is 1330 cubic centimeters (three times larger than chimp).
Many chimpanzees seem to display familiar human qualities such as facial expressions, problem-solving abilities and a high degree of parental care.
Habits
Active by day, the chimpanzee spends its nights asleep in a nest it makes in a tree, safe from its predators.
The diameter of the nest is 5 meter and located at a height of 3 to 45 meter.
During the wet season, the chimpanzee spends a lot of time in trees, but in drier weather it spends the majority of its time on the ground.
Special Adaptation
The chimpanzee is skilled at stripping the leaves from a branch and then using it as a tool.
Such sticks are used for digging insects out of their nests.
Or the chimp coats it with saliva and lays it in the path of soldier ants, which become stuck to the surface.
Food and Feeding
The chimpanzee's diet consists mainly of fruits of all kinds.
The chimpanzee also eats some insects, such as termites, ants, and the larvae of several species.
Biologists used to think that the chimpanzee only gathered its food and did not hunt other animals.
It is now known, however, that the chimpanzee does hunt for a number of different mammals, especially other primates such as red colobus, bush babies, blue monkeys and baboons.
Breeding
Breeding takes place all year round.
She gives birth about every three years.
The mother carries her offspring everywhere for its first five months.
It remains dependent for at least two years.
Until 8 or 10 years old young learns the location of the best feeding places.
Distribution
In Africa, from Guinea to western Uganda and Tanzania, in forest and savannah country.
Key Facts
Sizes
Height: Male 170 centimeters, female 130 centimeters.
Weight: 45 to 80 kilograms.
Breeding
Sexual maturity: 8 to 10 years.
Mating: No specific season.
Female mates when previous offspring is 3 years old.
Gestation: 202 to 261 days.
No. of young: 1 or 2.
Lifestyle
Habit: Social, lives in small troops.
Diet: Mainly fruit, but also leaves, buds, blossoms, bark, resin, honey, termites and ants.
Occasionally other mammals.
Lifespan: Over 20 years.
Did You Know?
The chimpanzee suffers from many human diseases, including malaria.
The chimpanzee may be the only animal, apart from a human, able to recognize itself in a mirror.
The chimpanzee may throw stones and twigs at other animals as part of its threat display.
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