chimpanzee
(also shortened form “chimp”)
a kind of animal – mammal – belongs to the great apes (gorilla, orang-utan, gibbon, and human); closely related to humans; males 3-4 feet tall – standing, weighs 35-70 Kg., females 2-3 feet tall — standing, weighs 25-50 Kg.; feeds on (eats) leaves, seeds, tree bark, plant bulbs, plant shoots, flowers, and ants, termites and other small animals, including small monkeys; lives for about 40 years in the wild and 60 years in captivity – the oldest living record is 76 years; two kinds – common chimpanzee and bonobo; found in central and western Africa
male ~~ male
female ~~ female
baby ~~ baby
group ~~ troop
voice (calls) ~~ bark
home ~~ tree branches (in the wild); cage (man-made)
Special Features:
Chimpanzees are our closest wild relatives: 94% identical DNA between humans and chimpanzees!
They are very intelligent; only next to humans.
They are one of very few animals, apart from humans, which can build their own rudimentary tools, and use them to find food. They are known to crush tough nuts with a piece of stone and to use a thin long branch of a plant, made sticky with their saliva, to fish ants and termites from their mounds.
Given proper training, chimpanzees can understand and use man-made symbols, and they can understand human language –
some are able to learn and use some simple words when said or shown!
Chimpanzees are capable of showing emotions; they even show sympathy towards others.
It has been observed that chimps, and other apes, too, can laugh, though not exactly as we, humans, do.
Though they can walk straight on two feet for short distances, they prefer to walk on all fours – with the soles of the hind limbs (legs) touching the ground, and only the knuckles of the closed fists of the front limbs (hands) touching the ground.
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Author: B C Kumar
Mr. Kumar, an English language teacher, having taught in many countries around the world including Ethiopia and Oman shares this English Language Reference website using material that he has written and compiled during the past 20 years.
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