The Species of ape, also in relation with bonobos in the animal kingdom.

These are most closely related to humans and distributed in areas of tropical forest.

Classification

Kingdom – Animalia

Phylum – Chordata

Class – Mammalia

Order- Primates

Family – Hominidae

Genus- Pan

Species- troglodytes

These are found in Africa and vary in size and appearance. Males are larger than females. The colour of the coat varies from brown to black and even their faces are small from young to broader in older ones. Their younger ones are pinkish and whitish. They feed mostly on treetops as vegetarians over different species as food and use their hands and feet together for moving.

Chimpanzees are unable to swim, even if they go on hunt in groups or as an individual. These are highly social animals in comparison to gorillas that live in communities, especially males who show this dominance over females and younger ones. These young offsprings can be transferred to other groups and females after getting sexually mature leave their community and go to other. These also exhibit social strategies like cooperation and forming coalitions.

These are very intelligent, can communicate through sign language and solve problems by humans as trainers.it also include communication through facial expressions and different vocalizations.Female chimps can bear a single young one after a gestation period of 8 months. The lifespan of them is approximately 45- 50 years.

Chimpanzees are considered as endangered species according to IUCN due to hunting, destruction of habitat and taking them to zoos and research labs commercially. WWF has taken serious steps to save the chimps for wildlife by effective law enforcement, establishing national parks, monitoring the population of chimpanzees and developing ecotourism.

There are four species of chimpanzees that exist which are :

Central Chimpanzee (tschego or P. t. troglodytes): occur in central africa like gabon and cameroon.
Western Chimpanzee(P. troglodytes verus): found in western africa like Guinea.they live in cave properties and forge at night.
Nigeria Cameroon Chimpanzee (P. troglodytes ellioti): live in Nigeria and cameroon areas and have slim range of distribution they are at high risk
Eastern Chimpanzee (P. troglodytes schweinfurthii): occur in central african republic and south sudan.

Chimpanzees can also use tools like sticks to retrieve termites from holes , stones to open up different barriers and leaf sponges to soak up and store water.it also seen that those chimps travel from one place to other on regular basis need more tools than those who settled at one place.

By- Pragya Joshi