Chimpanzee Information

Chimpanzees are the closest living relatives to humans. Their behavior is even similar to human activities. Chimpanzees are intelligent and social animals that live together in communities.

  1. Features

    • Chimpanzees have short legs and long arms. They use the knuckles of their hands when walking, but can also walk upright. Chimps have long brown or black body hair, but their faces, soles of feet and palms of hands are bare. Chimpanzees are known for their large, protruding ears.

    Habitat

    • Chimpanzees normally live in tropical rainforests but also occupy lowland and mountain forests. Their range includes western and central Africa.

    Diet

    • Chimps eat mostly plants and fruit, although they do also consume insects, eggs and meat such as carrion or small antelope.

    Lifespan

    • The average lifespan of chimpanzees is about 45 years in the wild; they may live longer in captivity.

    Reproduction

    • Female chimpanzees give birth to one offspring after a gestation period of about 7 1/2 months. Mothers will feed young chimps until about age 3. The offspring rides on its mother's back in a piggyback fashion.

    Fun Fact

    • Chimpanzees make a variety of facial expressions that can easily be misinterpreted. For instance, a wide-toothed grin is not an expression of happiness in chimps; rather, it indicates fear or anxiety.