Chimpanzees micro-lesson

Chimpanzees, like all great apes, are covered in hair, have long arms, and have no tail. They have human-like faces and are, in fact, our closest relatives sharing around 99% of DNA with humans. It is, therefore, no surprise that chimpanzees are one of the most intelligent animals in the world. Chimpanzees are found only in countries in Western and Central Africa. They prefer tropical forests but will also venture into open Savannah and woodland. They are omnivorous animals which means they eat both plants and meat. Chimpanzees love fruit. However, they will also work in groups to hunt and eat monkeys. Unlike the orangutan who spends most of its time in the trees, chimpanzees will also spend a lot of time on the ground. On the ground, they usually walk on all fours. However, they can walk on just two legs. This is called bipedal locomotion. Although chimpanzees are very agile primates and can move comfortably on the ground or through the trees, they cannot swim so they avoid deep water. Chimpanzees are very social animals and live in groups of around 20 or more individuals. Groups learn and play together with older members teaching younger ones how to use tools such as cracking nuts or open them with stone. Chimpanzees even show empathy towards one another. That means that they all share their food and even help to look after sick members of the group. Chimpanzees are diurnal animals meaning they're active during the day. This is when they do all their feeding, resting, playing and grooming. Grooming each other helps get rid of parasites such as ticks and fleas. It also helps maintain bonds much like us having a conversation with our friends.