Common chimpanzees are also sometimes known as chimps or robust chimpanzees. This species of chimpanzees inhabits Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Cameroon, Nigeria, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Common chimpanzees live in woodlands, grasslands, and rain-forests.
Common chimpanzees live in social groups of 20 to 150 individuals but typically travel in smaller groups during the day. In the evening, they come together to build nests on tree tops as a community to sleep. Males roam around to protect group members, and there is always a dominance hierarchy, with males being more dominant than females.
Chimpanzees are also known for their high intelligence, with several chimpanzees passing the mirror test by recognizing themselves in the mirror. They demonstrate their intelligence by using tools, such as sharpened sticks to collect termites in holes and using stones to break nuts. Chimpanzees have also displayed their intelligence by memorizing symbols.
Common chimpanzees was listed as an endangered species of primates by the IUCN Red List. The main threats to the common chimpanzee population include habitat loss and poaching by humans, diseases, and sometimes predation by leopards.
Common chimpanzees are capable of using human sign language, as demonstrated by Washoe, who was taught 151 signs of American Sign Language by Allen and Beatrix Gardner in the 1960s. Washoe also taught these signs to other chimpanzees. Chimpanzees also respond to physical contact, such as tickling, wrestling, and playing. They have also been observed hunting together, with each member having a role in catching prey, and they share the meat once the prey is caught.
Female chimpanzees can mate with multiple males within their group and sometimes leave their groups to mate with males from other groups. The gestation period for female chimpanzees is 8 months, and once a baby is born, the mother nurses and grooms the baby until it reaches the age of four years. Young infants are usually weak and cling to their mother’s stomachs for about 3-4 months.
Common chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas are close human relatives, sharing over 95% of their DNA with humans, and all of them are distributed in tropical Africa. Chimpanzees use various methods for communication, including facial expressions, body language, sign language, sounds, and postures. They communicate when feeding, in response to predators, and during play.
Subspecies of Common Chimpanzees
There are mainly four subspecies of common chimpanzees, with a proposed subspecies as follows:
- The Eastern Chimpanzee. Found in Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic.
- The Central Chimpanzee. A subspecies found in Gabon, the Republic of Congo, and Cameroon.
- The Western Chimpanzee. A subspecies of common chimpanzee inhabiting Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Guinea Bissau, and Guinea.
- Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee. This subspecies is found along the Nigeria and Cameroon border.
- South-eastern Chimpanzee. Proposed as another subspecies inhabiting Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda.