To
view the primate tree, There are also
For pictures of apes and
monkeys,
separate pages on:
Lemurs
Orangutan
Gorilla
Chimpanzee
Gibbons
Howler monkey
Baboons
Marmoset
Chimpanzees
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION: Chimpanzees belong to the family Pongidae in the order Primates. They make up the genus Pan. The common chimpanzee is classified as Pan troglodytes. The pygmy chimpanzee is classified as Pan paniscus.
HABITAT:There are two species of chimpanzees:
1) The common chimpanzee :They have the most extensive geographic range of any of the apes, occurring naturally in the jungles across all of equatorial Africa.
2) The pygmy chimpanzee is found only in the eastern Congo River basin.
DESCRIPTION: 
The chimps have been proved to be the closest ape related to man through genetic and physical studies.The common chimpanzee can be taller than 5 feet (l.5 meters) and weighs over 175 pounds (80 kilograms).The arms of the chimp come up to half the body length.
Chimps are more adapted to walking and this is evident with the broad soles and small toes.The chimp has a dark coat. The face, fingers, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet are devoid of any hair.A bony shelf over the eyes gives the forehead a receding appearance, and the nose is flat.The chimpanzee is diurnal (active during the daytime) and omnivorous, eating about 200 kinds of leaves and fruit; termites, ants, honey, and birds' eggs; and birds and small mammals! The chimps build a new nest every night on a tree to sleep. They produce one young chimp with a gestation period of 7 months. The chimps stay with the mother for 4 years but they still maintain contact hroughout their life.
Chimps live in groups ranging from 2 chimps to 80 of them. They cooperate with each other in hunting and they share their food. They occupy a large area of land for a good number of years.
Chimps are by far the cleverest among the apes.Chimpanzees communicate through vocalizations, facial expressions, posture, touch, and movement. They can make 32 different sounds and can havevarious facial expressions and emotions. They can understand sign language and use tools like twigs to remove termites from the ant hills.
