KNOW ABOUT

CHIMPANZEES

INFANCY
Chimpanzee infants are born after 8 months
of gestation. At birth they weigh less than
3 lbs. and like human infants, they are
extremely fragile and helpless. During the
first months of life infants are completely
dependent on their mothers for food and care.
A newborn infant nurses for 3 minutes nearly
every hour.

CHILDHOOD
Childhood begins at five years-of-age and lasts until
the juvenile chimpanzee is seven years old or
becomes sexually matured. During this time, the
young chimpanzee remains close to its mother but
spends increasing larger amounts of time away from
her with members of its own age group. It has
learned to build its own sleeping nest and no longer
depends on her for nourishment and transportation.

TOOL TRADITIONS
Different chimpanzee groups use tools in
different ways. Chimpanzees of the Tai Forest
in Cote d'Ivoire crack open nuts with rocks,
for example, while the Gombe chimps have
never been seen doing this.

HABITAT
Chimps can be found in about 21 African
countries, mostly in central Africa. Most
chimps live in rainforest areas on what used
to be the equatorial forest "belt." Sadly, the
rain forests in Africa are being cut down,
leaving only patches of forest where the belt
once stretched continuously.

ENDANGERED
Chimpanzees are endangered. There are
probably between 172,000 and 300,000
chimpanzees remaining in the wild. Another
great threat to the continued existence of
wild chimpanzees is commercial hunting for
meat.

"WE CAN CHANGE ANY ENVIRONMENT TO SUIT

OURSELVES. SO WE'D BETTER START THINKING ABOUT THE
LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE CHANGES."
JANE GOODALL