![]() Chimpanzees communicate in many ways: verbal communication with up to 34 different vocalizations, facial gestures such as showing teeth as a sign of aggression, body language such as involuntary piloerection (hair standing erect) showing excitement, and captive chimpanzees have even been taught sign language. In male relationships, tension is routinely expressed in dominance interactions when parties meet, but males also spend much time grooming each other. Males seldom or never leave the community into which they were born, whereas most females migrate to a new community during an adolescent estrus period. Mothers often travel alone with only their offspring. These communities lack a definite leader and are usually split into a number of subgroups which are temporary and change in composition within a matter of hours or days ("fusion-fission" groups). Social BehaviorĬhimp communities are made up of 15 to 120 animals. Like many primates, chimpanzees do not swim and avoid being in deep bodies of water. Chimpanzees show extreme intelligence they can recognize themselves in a mirror which is a sign of high emotional and intellectual intelligence. Chimpanzees have been seen in the wild, eating plants with medicinal properties. West African chimps use stones to crack hard seeds. Some populations chew leaves to make them more absorbent and dip for water from holes in trees. They also use sticks to enlarge holes so that ants can be reached. When the twig has become covered with insects, they pull it out and nibble them off. They are one of the few mammals that manufacture and use "tools." They often feed by poking a twig or vine into a termite nest hole. Chimpanzees have a territory range but may sleep in different trees and new nests every night. Activity and Behavior Activity PatternĬhimpanzees will travel and forage all day and climb into trees at night to make their individual nests for sleeping. Ecological WebĬhimpanzees are mostly frugivorious (fruit eaters) which makes them important seed dispersers. West African chimps use wood and stone tools as hammers to open nuts. There seem to be "cultural" differences between groups of chimpanzees in the variety of food taken and the techniques for processing it. Feeding is essentially an individual activity, but after a cooperative hunt may share morsels in response to begging by others. On rare occasions small game (monkeys, pigs, and antelope) is hunted. Animal prey makes up as much as five percent of the diet, with social insects, such as ants and termites, providing the largest amounts. In long dry seasons, buds and blossoms, soft pitch, stems, galls, honey, bark and resin, seeds and nuts are also eaten. Dietįeed on a wide variety of foodstuffs (over 80 different items have been cataloged) with the largest proportion consisting of fruit and young leaves. Males may travel up to 3 miles a day while females travel 2 miles. Humid forest, deciduous woodland or mixed savanna presence in open areas depends on access to evergreen fruit-producing forest Distribution As a chimpanzee ages, the hair on both sexes' faces and the males' backs will start to lighten and turn grey. A chimpanzee's arm span is 1.5 times that of their height which aids in knuckle-walking and climbing. They have opposable big toes, as well as thumbs, making them very well adapted to being in the treetops. ![]() Physical CharacteristicsĪpes, including chimpanzees, have color vision. Their arms are longer than their legs because of this behavior. Chimpanzees are "knuckle-walkers," who walk on all four limbs. Chimpanzees are covered in black fur, except for their palms, ears, faces, and soles of their feet which are pink to black bare skin. There are four subspecies of chimpanzee, which are mostly distinct by their geographic location. Great apes have complex social structures with varied and important communication. Humans are the only great apes without opposable big toes. The dental structure is the same for all great apes and well as the basic facial structure and large brain cavity. Great apes have no tail nor ischial callosities. The great ape family includes humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans.
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