By Pauline Odhiambo
The population of chimpanzees worldwide has reduced over the years, with western chimpanzees estimated to have shrunk in numbers by 85%, a significant decline since the 1980s.
All the four chimpanzee subspecies are facing extinction today, according to the World Conservation Society. The primates play an important role in maintaining the diversity of forests.
The animals are hunted for bushmeat or forced out of their habitat by commercial logging and farming, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Though the chimpanzees are further endangered by commercial exportation to zoos and research laboratories, conservationists struggle to protect the dwindling chimp population, currently estimated to be between 170,000 and 300,000, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Here are some facts you may not know about chimpanzees:
Can live up to 80 years
A chimp named Little Mamma was the oldest recorded chimpanzee, estimated to have been between 76 and 82 years by the time of her death in 2017.
The average life expectancy for captive chimps is about 38 years, but chimpanzee's lifespan in the wild is more challenging to record.
A study of chimps in Uganda’s Kibale National Park estimates that an average chimpanzee lives up to 33 years.
Birth once every five years
Most chimpanzee pregnancies carry one child. Infant chimpanzees often cling on to their mothers' fur and ride on their backs until the ages of three to five. This causes a close familial bond, even during maturity.
Complex family, social structures
Extended family groups can grow as large as 20 to 120 chimpanzees, and can have strict hierarchies, with just one dominant alpha male as the leader. They live in groups where the membership size and composition changes over time. New smaller units often form as the animals forge new relationships.
Use tools
Chimpanzees make use of self-made tools in order to feed and protect themselves. Rocks and twigs are some of the rudimentary tools they use to search for food. They also use tree branches to scratch their backs.
Omnivorous
Chimpanzees feed on a variety of food, both plant and animals. They, however, have a special liking for fruits. Chimpanzee diet includes seeds, leaves, roots, insects and honey. They sometimes feed on other wildlife like monkeys or small antelope.
Can walk on two legs
Chimpanzees usually walk on all fours, but also have the ability to walk on two feet. They, however, get around by climbing and swinging from tree to tree.
