Chimpanzee

Habitat
Chimpanzee's live Mid-Africa, in rain forests or open country. The chimpanzee lives in a troop that numbers between 25-80. Each troop has a dominant male. The troops's home range varies in size from 7-8 square miles in the forest to 40-75 in the open country. Chimpanzee's sleep in nests made in trees. They are not nocturnal, so they sleep at night. The same nest may be used for sevral nights if the troop isn't on the move. Chimps stay mainly in trees during the wet season and on ground when it is dry.



Food and Feeding
A chimp had two feeding periods each day: early morning and late afternoon. Fruits of all kinds make up the magority of the chimpanzee's diet. It also includes insects and honey. It gets most of the water it needs from fruit. A chimpanzee eats meat as well. It hunts and feeds on a variety of mammals, including other primates such as the colobus monkeys, blue monkey and baboons. The killing is almost always done one adult male.



Breeding
Breeding takes place year-round. The female will mate with several different males. The males show no sign of competition between themselves.

The young chimp is carried everywhere for its first five months and is dependent on its mother for two years. By the time the youngster is four years old, it spends most of it's time with other chimpanzees close to its own age.



Fun Facts

 * Chimpanzees can have many human disases.


 * Chimpanzees are the only animal apart from humans, that can recognize themselves in mirrors.

Size
Height-Males, 5 1/2 ft. Females-4 1/2 ft.

Weight- 100-175 lb.