Chimpanzee: Pan troglodytes
Characteristics
Weight and Height
males: wt 88 lb (40 kg), ht 40-68 in (1-1.7 m)
females: wt 66 lb (30 kg), ht 40-68 in (1-1.7 m)
Color
Most chimpanzees are black, but some may be dark brown or even ginger-colored.
General Location
The Chimpanzee can be found west of Guinea to Sierra Lione and all the way to western Uganda and Tanzania. Chimpanzees can also be found north of the Congo River, especially in rainforest, savanna woodlands, and montane forest up to 6600 ft (2000 m).
The chimpanzee can be found in the following National Parks and Reserves: Gombe NP, Mahale Mts. NP, Tanzania; Kibale Forest, Uganda.
Ecology
The chimpanzee is generally found in the rainforest which is considered its most preferable habitat. In some rainforest regions, the density of chimpanzees reaches 18/ sq. mi (7/sq. km).
Most chimps will be found alone or with a small group which shares food-searching efforts. The chimp's diet consists of 68% fruit, 28% leaves, bark, and stems, and 4% animal food. On average, the chimp will feed from approximately 230 different plants.
Activity
The chimpanzee is considered a diurnal mammal with a fairly regular daily pattern. The chimp will spend 45 to 65% of its day feeding, most of which is during the early morning or late afternoon hours. On average, a female chimp will travel 1.75 mi (2.8 km) a day and males will travel around 2.5 mi (4 km).
Social Systems
Chimpanzees have communities in which 9 to 120 animals live together. On average, there are 70 members in a community within a 2 sq. mi (5 sq. km) region.
On average, females spend more time alone than males. 50-80% of the females in a community will be totally independent while only 2-54% of the males are. Each female has roughly 1/4 to 1.5 sq. mi (2-4 sq. km) of space in which she spends 80% of her time.
Reproduction
The gestation period is 8 months with a 4- to 5-year interval between births. A female does not have her first offspring until age 13 to 14 years of age.
Predators
Leopard and lion are really the only threat to chimpanzees.
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