Chimpanzee
(Pan troglodytes)

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Pongidae
Genus: Pan
Species: troglodytes

Of the great apes, chimpanzees are the most common and human like. They have the same blood type as we do and are susceptible to many of the same diseases. Chimpanzees sleep and do most of their feeding in trees, but travel overland and also forage to some extent on the ground. Their powerful long arms, thumb-like big toes, and thumbs on hands make them very adept at climbing and walking in trees and high areas.

This species is renowned for its manufacture and utilization of tools. Of the few animals that use tools, the chimp is the most skilled. Its use of tools helps them solve a greater range of problems, both in the wild and in captivity. It uses sticks as weapons and to dig out the contents of insects and nests. Each individual constructs a nest of vegetation for sleeping in the trees at night at an average height of 9-12 meters.

Chimpanzees are found in humid forest, deciduous woodland, and mixed savannah in Africa. Their diets consist of fruit, leaves, blossoms, seeds, stems, bark, resin, honey, insects, eggs and meat. Chimpanzees can live for 50-60 years.

You can visit them at Chimp Ridge.

Read a daily blog abut the zoo's new baby chimp.