The Central Chimpanzee, a resident of moist lowland forests and swamps, has a broad geographical range from the Ubangi River in the east to the Sanaga River in northwest Cameroon.
This type of chimpanzee shifts its diet with population and seasons. Ripe fruit, young leaves, bark, and stems are prime choices; consumption of mammals, including other primates, is occasional. Community sizes can reach 64-71 individuals.
Unfortunately, the Central Chimpanzee is an endangered species3, with threats of poaching and disease casting long shadows.
They exhibit a slow life history with a generation time estimated at 25 years and, hence, are unable to sustain high mortality levels. The persistent poaching problem across Central Africa likely implies unnoticed but significant population declines.
The Eastern Chimpanzee is a significant subspecies extensively researched by Dr. Jane Goodall at Gombe Stream National Park. The natural habitat of these chimpanzees spans from the southeast Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to west Uganda and Tanzania.
They are primarily found in lowland tropical forests and forest galleries extending to savanna woodlands. Oscillating between various diets based on the season, half includes ripe fruit, but leaves, bark, and stems also present crucial sustenance. Eastern chimpanzees, being social creatures, form large communities, numbering between 20 to 150 individuals.
Sadly, Eastern Chimpanzees are endangered2, suffering a significant population reduction over the past two to three decades, particularly in the DRC. The driving factors include rampant poaching, habitat destruction, degradation, disease outbreaks, mining, and the aggravating effects of climate change.
The Western Chimpanzee hails from West Africa - you can spot them from Senegal to Ghana. They thrive in varied habitats, be it dry and moist lowland tropical forests or forest galleries creeping into savannah woodlands.
Their diet is as diverse as their habitat. They are omnivorous, favoring fruits and sometimes leaves or bark. Mammals and insects also enter their platter, while dietary preferences vary among communities and seasons.
Populations of these subspecies form communities of about 12 to 84 individuals. Alarmingly, Western Chimpanzees are critically endangered5, with a steep drop of 6.53% yearly from 1990 to 2014. Primary threats include habitat destruction due to human activities, bushmeat poaching, and infectious diseases.
The Central Chimpanzee, a resident of moist lowland forests and swamps, has a broad geographical range from the Ubangi River in the east to the Sanaga River in northwest Cameroon.
This type of chimpanzee shifts its diet with population and seasons. Ripe fruit, young leaves, bark, and stems are prime choices; consumption of mammals, including other primates, is occasional. Community sizes can reach 64-71 individuals.
Unfortunately, the Central Chimpanzee is an endangered species3, with threats of poaching and disease casting long shadows.
They exhibit a slow life history with a generation time estimated at 25 years and, hence, are unable to sustain high mortality levels. The persistent poaching problem across Central Africa likely implies unnoticed but significant population declines.
The Eastern Chimpanzee is a significant subspecies extensively researched by Dr. Jane Goodall at Gombe Stream National Park. The natural habitat of these chimpanzees spans from the southeast Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to west Uganda and Tanzania.
They are primarily found in lowland tropical forests and forest galleries extending to savanna woodlands. Oscillating between various diets based on the season, half includes ripe fruit, but leaves, bark, and stems also present crucial sustenance. Eastern chimpanzees, being social creatures, form large communities, numbering between 20 to 150 individuals.
Sadly, Eastern Chimpanzees are endangered2, suffering a significant population reduction over the past two to three decades, particularly in the DRC. The driving factors include rampant poaching, habitat destruction, degradation, disease outbreaks, mining, and the aggravating effects of climate change.
The Western Chimpanzee hails from West Africa - you can spot them from Senegal to Ghana. They thrive in varied habitats, be it dry and moist lowland tropical forests or forest galleries creeping into savannah woodlands.
Their diet is as diverse as their habitat. They are omnivorous, favoring fruits and sometimes leaves or bark. Mammals and insects also enter their platter, while dietary preferences vary among communities and seasons.
Populations of these subspecies form communities of about 12 to 84 individuals. Alarmingly, Western Chimpanzees are critically endangered5, with a steep drop of 6.53% yearly from 1990 to 2014. Primary threats include habitat destruction due to human activities, bushmeat poaching, and infectious diseases.
Fun Fact: Did you know that chimpanzees have a DNA similarity of around 98.7% with humans3? These great apes are more closely related to modern humans than other primate species.
