“If we look straight and deep into a chimpanzee's eyes, an intelligent self-assured personality looks back at us. If they are animals, what must we be?”
― Frans de Waal
Habitat
Chimpanzees are currently found in 21 African countries—from the west coast of the continent to as far east as western Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.The greatest number of chimpanzees is located in the rain forests, in what used to be the equatorial forest “belt.” They can also be found in secondary regrowth forests, open woodlands, bamboo forests, swamp forests, and even open savanna where there are some forested areas. In savanna areas, they rarely venture far into the savanna except to move from one forest patch to the next.
Diet
Chimpanzees require a water supply and a wide variety of fruits in their habitats. They are omnivores, meaning they eat not only fruits, nuts, seeds, blossoms and leaves, but many kinds of insects and occasionally the meat of medium-sized mammals.
The chimpanzees' wide diet means they are able to live in a variety of habitats unlike some other endangered great apes, such as gorillas and orangutans, which have a more specific diet in the wild.
Habitat Endangered
Africa lost 3.4 million hectares of its forested area between 2000 and 2010 (FAO Global Resources Assessment 2010). Much of this loss occurred within the chimpanzee range, including the equatorial forest belt, which now consists largely of isolated forest patches. This loss of suitable habitat is one of the greatest threats to the long-term survival of chimpanzees and other great apes. As their habitat disappears, some chimpanzees are able to move into more arid areas, such as southwest Tanzania and Senegal. However, the movement of chimpanzees is not a long-term solution for the survival of the species. Today, there are estimated to be merely 170,000-300,000 chimpanzees left in Africa, and their population is decreasing rapidly.
Chimpanzees are currently found in 21 African countries—from the west coast of the continent to as far east as western Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.The greatest number of chimpanzees is located in the rain forests, in what used to be the equatorial forest “belt.” They can also be found in secondary regrowth forests, open woodlands, bamboo forests, swamp forests, and even open savanna where there are some forested areas. In savanna areas, they rarely venture far into the savanna except to move from one forest patch to the next.
Diet
Chimpanzees require a water supply and a wide variety of fruits in their habitats. They are omnivores, meaning they eat not only fruits, nuts, seeds, blossoms and leaves, but many kinds of insects and occasionally the meat of medium-sized mammals.
The chimpanzees' wide diet means they are able to live in a variety of habitats unlike some other endangered great apes, such as gorillas and orangutans, which have a more specific diet in the wild.
Habitat Endangered
Africa lost 3.4 million hectares of its forested area between 2000 and 2010 (FAO Global Resources Assessment 2010). Much of this loss occurred within the chimpanzee range, including the equatorial forest belt, which now consists largely of isolated forest patches. This loss of suitable habitat is one of the greatest threats to the long-term survival of chimpanzees and other great apes. As their habitat disappears, some chimpanzees are able to move into more arid areas, such as southwest Tanzania and Senegal. However, the movement of chimpanzees is not a long-term solution for the survival of the species. Today, there are estimated to be merely 170,000-300,000 chimpanzees left in Africa, and their population is decreasing rapidly.