12/20/2023 0 Comments Avg chimpanzee weightMORPHOLOGYĬhimpanzees exhibit very little morphological differences between subspecies. For example, by categorizing chimpanzees as Homo, it might be considered unethical to keep them in zoos or use them in research. The implications of changing the taxonomical categorization could have enormous impacts on how chimpanzees are perceived and the rights extended to them. They also sometimes seem to “pretend play” with items.Some argue that chimpanzees should be categorized in the same genus as humans, Homo, based on the fact that chimpanzees and humans diverged only 4 to 6 million years ago (Groves 2001). Chimpanzees have been known to show some behaviours which are very similiar to humans such as showing respect to each other, curiosity, mourning and romantic love. There is a social heirachy within the communities with an alpha male usually the leader although in some communities the leadership is shared between several males.Ĭhimpanzees communicate in several ways such as vocalisations, body language, facial expressions, clapping, grooming and even kissing with other members of their family groups or communities.Ĭhimps are able to make tools for use in getting food and some also construct nests to sleep in at night in the trees. The family groups are usually made up of 6 to 10 animals while the communities can have as many as 100 animals in them. Sexual maturity is reached at 8 years old but they are typically 13-14 by the time they give birth for the first time.Ĭhimpanzees are humans closest living relatives and share about 98% of our genetic blueprint, they share some behaviours with humans.Ĭhimpanzees live in groups called communities and these communities are made up of several different family groups. Just like human mothers chimpanzees often develop a close bond with their young that lasts all their life. They will suckle from their mother until they are about three years old and by about the age of 4 they will mostly be walking on their own. They will then stay with their mother for another few years learning all the skills that they need to know to survive on their own. Just like a human baby chimpanzee young develop very slowly. The newborn holds on tightly to the mothers breast for the first few months and then starts riding on the mothers back. After a gestation period of 230 -240 days the female will give birth to a single baby, twins are very rare.Īt birth the newborn will weigh approximately 1.9 kgs (4 pounds) and is extremely helpless. Habitat destruction is their greatest threat as well as hunting both for bushmeat and the pet trade.īreeding takes place year round in areas where there is an abundance of food. Because they have an extremely varied diet they are able to live in a larger number of habitats. They predominantly inhabit dense tropical rainforests but they are also found in woodlands, bamboo forests, swamps, secondary growth forests and even open savanna although usually only when they are moving from one area to another. They have the largest geographic range of any great ape and can be found across 21 countries. Here they can be found throughout Central and West Africa. The average height of a chimpanzee standing upright is 1.2 metres (4 ft) with the males weight ranging from 40 to 55 kgs (90 to 120 pounds) and the females weight ranging from 32 to 45 kgs (70 to 100 pounds).Īfrica is the native home of the chimpanzee. They have large brains and can walk on all four limbs but they are also able to walk upright for short distances if they are carrying something. They have opposable toes and thumbs that make it easy for them to grip things, and they also have fingernails and toenails.Ĭhimpanzees have large ears that can stick out a bit, this is useful to them when trying to hear other chimps in the dense forest. The skin on their faces, hands and feet varies in colour from light pink when they are very young to very dark as they become more mature. After about the age of 20 they can start to get grey hair and suffer from partial baldness just like humans. They have long hair that varies in colour from light brown to a deep black on their bodies but their faces, hands and feet have no hair. Chimpanzees have a stout body with long arms, shorter legs and they have no tail.
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