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African rainforest
Chimpanzee
Pan troglodytes
Our closest living relative: black-haired, with a pale face, big ears and long arms.
- Size
- About 1 to 1.7m tall standing
- Look for it
- All year round
- Where
- Forest and wooded savanna across central and western Africa
My spotter's list
Knuckle-walks after you, and breaks into a run to catch up. Move your pointer and see.
Good to know
Six things about the chimpanzee
FamilyOur closest relative
Chimpanzees share about 98 per cent of their DNA with humans.
ToolsTool users
Chimps use sticks to fish termites from their mounds, stones to crack nuts and chewed leaves as sponges.
LearningPassed down
Different groups have different customs, which the young learn by watching their elders.
TalkingPant-hoots
They call to each other across the forest with loud pant-hoots, and each chimp has its own voice.
BedA nest in the trees
Like gorillas, chimps build a fresh sleeping nest each night, usually high in a tree.
TroubleEndangered
Chimpanzees are endangered. Their forests are shrinking and they are hunted in many places.
The real thing
Photos of the chimpanzee
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
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Out and aboutHow to spot one
Listen for loud pant-hoots and drumming on tree roots. Look for nests high in the trees and nut shells cracked open on a flat stone.
Lend a handHow to help
Never support attractions that use chimps as performers or photo props. Support sanctuaries and forest protection instead.
Following youLadybird
Who should follow you?
African savanna
African river animals live on the African river page: choosing one takes you there.
African river
African rainforest
African desert
Animals from other parts of the world live on their own pages: change area.
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