Where does the chimpanzee live?
The common chimpanzee lives in the forests and savannas of equatorial Africa. It adapts to many habitats: rainforests, montane forests, swamp forests, savannas and dry woodlands. It forms organised communities on fairly large territories. It lives and travels in small subgroups, on the ground and in the trees, and adults build a new nest every evening to sleep in.
What does the chimpanzee eat?
The chimpanzee is active by day, and feeding takes up a large share of its time: it eats for about two hours after waking, then spends midday travelling and resting. Nearly all populations use tools: sticks, rocks, grass and leaves help it hunt or get honey, termites, ants, nuts and water. It even makes sharpened sticks to spear small mammals. It has a good mental map of its range, which helps it find food again.
Is the chimpanzee endangered?
Yes: the IUCN lists it as Endangered. It is threatened by human activity: destruction of its habitat and poaching. Between 170,000 and 300,000 chimpanzees are estimated to remain across its range. Together with the bonobo, it is the closest living relative of humans.
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