Modern+Day+Animal+-+Chimpanzee

<<< (Modern Day) Chimpanzee >>>

 Did You Know ? ? //Chimpanzees have a total of// **48 chromosomes (//1 extra pair//)** //as opposed to humans, who have// **46 chromosomes**

Other Pages This link directs you to an Extinct Animal related to the Chimpanzee This link directs you to a possible Future Animal related to the modern day Chimpanzee

An Introduction to Chimpanzees
 * Scientific Classification ||~  ||
 * < Scientific Name ||< Pan troglodytes ||
 * < Common Name ||< Chimp; Chimpanzee ||
 * < Kingdom ||< Animalia ||
 * < Phylum ||< Chordata ||
 * < Class ||< Mammalia ||
 * < Order ||< Primates ||
 * < Family ||< Hominidae ||
 * < Genus ||< Pan ||

The most common mistake in classifying chimpanzees is that we assume they are //monkeys//. It is arguable that chimpanzees are not monkeys, //**but**// they are indeed from the same ape family, along with humans, baboons, gorillas, etc, and are also the //**closest relative to humans**//, where both species share the same common ancestor. According to '//The Jane Goodall Institute South Africa//' website, it is said that humans and chimpanzees share DNA that is approximately **98%** the exact same.

Over generations, chimpanzees and humans have strengthened relationships and these apes have been involved in everyday human life, such as
 * Entertainment purposes (i.e. Circuses)
 * Exploration and record breaking activity (i.e. The first chimpanzee in space was named, //Ham//, who flew in a capsule into space in 1961. The purpose of this operation was to determine whether or not it was safe for humans to travel into space)

But not all Chimpanzees have been treated fairly and justly. Over the years, scientists and researchers have taken advantage of our relatives and have used them as part of medical research and even drug testing. There have been many deaths as a result of this cruel practice and have struck controversy within society and communities, especially animal conservation and protection groups/organizations. **ChimpHaven** (located in Keithville, Texas) is a non-profit organization that provides care and shelter for chimpanzees that are no longer of use to humans e.g. medical research, entertainment purposes.

Habitat

Chimpanzees, nowadays, are found mostly in an artificial habitat: //the zoo or sanctuary//, but are found naturally in tropical rainforests, savannas and mountainous regions of Africa. These creatures are spread across the large continent, from the western to the eastern regions of Africa including //Kenya//, //Tanzania// and //Uganda//. It is heartbreaking to realize that such a close relative of humans is, in fact, **//endangered//**, due to //poachers// and //hunters//, who capture these apes for e.g. //medical research and testing purposes//, which interferes with nature and the ecosystem. //Deforestation// is another key aspect that has led to the endangerment of the this species, as the natural habitat for Chimpanzees tend to be in tropical rainforest areas.

As a result of deforestation and poaching, Chimpanzee numbers have declined and are further decreasing, but organizations such as //Chimp Haven// ("a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide lifetime care for chimpanzees who have been retired from medical research, the entertainment industry or no longer wanted as pets" [ChimpHaven, //2011//]) have been and //will continue// working to protect and conserve the remaining Chimpanzee species of the world.

The map below (**//Fig. 1//**) shows the locations where chimpanzees are found within Africa. The ** green highlighted areas ** indicate possible areas where chimpanzees may be found, and the ** brown highlighted areas **indicted definate and most likely (//known//) areas where they may be situated in.

//Gombe Stream National Park// in Tanzania is an example of a national park dedicated to chimpanzees, and began to arise in fame through Jane Goodall's dedication to chimpanzee research and study in 1960. Source: http://www.chimphaven.org/chimps-facts.cfm || Aspects of Environment
 * [[image:Africa_Map_-_Map_of_Chimpanzee_Distribution_in_the_African_region.jpg width="440" height="440" align="center"]] ||
 * = **(//Fig. 1//)** Map of Africa showing the //distribution// of the chimpanzee species within the African region

Animals that also live close or share the same environment as the Chimpanzee within Africa include the Baboon, which is a relative to the chimpanzee (ape family), Hyena as well as the African Elephant (both live in the same environments as the chimpanzee). These animals are spread across the western and eastern regions of Africa, and their natural habitats are quite similar to the Chimpanzee, ranging from mountainous, to savannas, and to rainforests/forests within Africa.

Chimpanzees, just like humans, are //omnivores//, meaning their diet consists of a combination of both meats and plants. Favourite foods of these creatures are mainly plants and fruits, as their environment/habitat has a large abundance of these, including leaves, berries and figs. Also, chimpanzees **favour** bananas, which is most likely the reason why we humans stereotypically picture chimpanzees eating bananas all day. Their supplements of meat, which is only a very small percentage of their diet, is provided through hunting of small, inferior monkeys and mammals. Hunting is usually carried out by the male chimpanzees, who form 'hunting groups' to (a) strategically cooperate to find food, and (b) protect and alert each other in times of trouble or danger. //Unprotected eggs// of careless birds are an easy target for hunting groups and therefore, make an easy catch guaranteeing a good meal for both themselves and their family.

As mentioned above, chimpanzees hunt is carried out through male chimpanzee hunting groups. The main prey of chimpanzees are //Red Colobus Monkeys// (which just recently, a scientific article indicated that Red Colobus Monkey species were declining due to the over hunting of them by chimpanzees, which may lead to a nearing extinction of the species) as they are inferior mammals to chimpanzees and their locomotion reveals their whereabouts to nearby predators. In 2007, BBC News published an article that revealed how chimpanzees supposedly used //spears// in their hunting procedures (**//Fig. 2//)**. The article explained how chimpanzees sharpened wooden sticks with their own teeth, sharp enough to use as spears to 'jab' their prey who may have been in hiding nearby. Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6387611.stm || Around its habitat, especially in a rainforest environment, surrounding vegetation would include tall trees, an abundance of leaves as well as sources of (//likely//) wild berries and fruits (//e.g. bananas, figs//). Throughout all areas, whether the rainforest, mountains or savannas, various species of insects can be found in all regions of Africa, and are also a valued food source to chimpanzees.
 * = [[image:Chimp_-_Hunting_Tool_Spear.jpg width="317" height="242"]] ||
 * = **(//Fig. 2//)** Image showing the wooden spear a chimpanzee has sharpened using its teeth

Adaptations

The most relatable and significant structural adaptation of a chimpanzee is its hands and feet. Exactly like humans, chimpanzees have //five fingers// on each hand and //five toes// on each foot. An advantage of having these unique structures is that it enables them to grasp and hold objects such as a stick or spear (//mentioned above//) as e.g. a form of defence against predators. Its hands and feet could be working simultaneously to perform multiple actions at once, for example, fleeing from nearby predators as well as grasping onto an object, e.g. a stick in order to catch and attack any prey it meats. Unlike humans, chimpanzees use //both// their hands and feet when performing actions, for example, //grasping tree branches//.
 * Structural Adaptation ONE**

A very notable and once again, //unique// detail of a chimpanzee is that it has an opposable big toe, meaning that their big toe has a greater outstretch as opposed to a human. This is a vital body structure for chimpanzees in order to grasp objects with their feet and also when making their way across trees. //**Fig. 3**// illustrates the opposable big toe on primate feet in contrast to the human foot.

A possible environmental pressure that may have given rise to the development of their hands and feet over time is that over time, the spread of new animals within Africa flourished, and new predators and prey pressured chimpanzees to develop their bodies, especially their feet and hands to fend for themselves and their family as well as aiding grip to swing from tree to tree. Therefore, the opposable big toe enabled a stronger, firmer grip on objects, and so did five fingers and toes. Source: http://www.bigfootencounters.com/images/primatefeet.htm ||= **(//Fig. 4//)** A chimpanzee's intimidating aciculate canines Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-468644/From-myth-reality--meet-chimps-eat-lions.html ||
 * = [[image:Primate_Feet_vs_Human_Feet.jpg width="289" height="398" align="center"]] ||= [[image:Chimp_Aciculate_Canines.jpg width="311" height="393"]] ||
 * = **(//Fig. 3//**) The opposable big toe on primate feet in contrast to the human foot

Another notable structural adaptation of chimpanzees are its aciculate canines (//teeth//), as shown in //**Fig. 4**//. The purpose of these sharp teeth is to intimidate its predators, as well as benefiting themselves by efficiently consuming its caught prey. As mentioned earlier above, the sharpness of chimpanzees' teeth combined with its intelligence allowed (most likely) himself to sharpen a stick using his teeth, to use as a spear for hunting purposes. Therefore, a chimp's teeth may not only be used when consuming prey, but also as an aid for creating weapons. (//Inteteresting//)
 * Structural Adaptation TWO**

As meat only contributes to a very minute percentage of a chimpanzee's diet, the decreasing supply of plants and leaves may have led to the chimpanzee needing to change its diet, by introducing themselves to a small percentage of meat. When opposed to meat, leaves and plants require much less effort to chew, but when consuming meat, especially freshly killed animals, a greater effort is required to gnaw through the animal's outer skin and meat. Therefore, the development of aciculate canines allowed chimpanzees to effectively and efficiently consume their prey.

Safety is one of all animal's highest priority, and most important whilst they are sleeping. Chimpanzees ensure security within their groups by building and sleeping in nests created from gathered leaves. Cleverly build atop of the tall forest trees, ground predators would have to climb the tall trees, which is mostly unlikely to accomplish, in order to reach the chimpanzees.
 * Behavioural Adaptation ONE**

Similarly to a previously mentioned environmental pressure, the introduction and/or spread of new animal species within Africa may have contributed to further safety priorities within chimpanzee groups. Before this introduction of new species, chimpanzees may have slept freely on the forest floor or ground, but with the rising threat of new ground predators, chimpanzees may have thought the only way to prevent being killed was to travel upwards, a direction where not many ground predators could travel. Therefore, building sleeping nests may have helped prevent many chimpanzee lives from being lost at night.

In a situation of danger, a chimpanzee will start to scream and make loud noises to alert nearby chimpanzees and to call for help. If during hunting, this adaptation alerts the other male chimpanzees to help defend or attack the targeted animal. Screaming and making loud sounds/noises is a method of communication between chimpanzees, as is humans and talking. Over years, humans have worked closely with chimpanzees through conservatories, and have taught them other means of communication and interaction, including //sign language//. In America, a female chimpanzee named //Washoe// was believed to be the first chimpanzee to learn American sign language. She was aged 42 when she died in 2007, and had accumulated a sign language vocabulary of approximately 250 words. But the most traditional form of communication between chimpanzees was creating loud noises and facial gestures.
 * Behavioural Adaptation TWO**

Once again, the introduction of new animal species within Africa could have possibly raised the use of communication between chimpanzees. More prey and predators meant more communication with each other, and this could only be achieved, when chimpanzees were far apart, by screaming and making loud noises. Therefore, presently, with such a wide range of animal species in Africa, this adaptation has continued over many years to develop a more effective sense of communication with chimpanzees, their family and their groups.

It is not surprising to realize that if chimpanzees are almost exactly like us (with an approximate of 2% difference), they'd inherit e.g. //diseases//, just how we become ill. When diseases are introduced, such as HIV/AIDS, not only are humans affected, but also animals, therefore including //chimpanzees//. Medical research has revealed that even when infected, chimpanzees to not physically show any symptoms of being infected, which may lead to an easier spread of disease, especially because humans and other animals do not know whether or not the chimpanzee is infected.
 * Physiological Adaptation**

An environmental pressure that may have given rise to this adaptation is how according to figures, humans and chimpanzees are approximately 98% exactly alike, therefore it is likely to inherit e.g. //diseases// quicker than another animal who does not share the same common ancestor or does not share any similarities. Also, animal trade is a main contributor to the spreading of disease, as an animal who inherited a disease in one country may be transported to another country, where this disease is foreign to communities, resulting in an introduction and infection of first, the weakly immune individuals, and then to society. Sources: http://www.discoverchimpanzees.org/activities/body-features.php http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-468644/From-myth-reality--meet-chimps-eat-lions.html ||
 * = [[image:Better_Adaptation_Lavels.jpg]] ||
 * = **(//Fig. 5//)** Labelled image of chimpanzee adaptations

Source: http://www.human-evol.cam.ac.uk/Members/Students/fiona.htm ||
 * = [[image:Screen_shot_2011-06-26_at_7.15.35_PM.jpg]] ||
 * = **(//Fig. 6//)** Labelled image of chimpanzee's behavioural adaptation - Chimpanzee Nests

 Some Interesting Videos This video presents the investigation and results of an Australian researcher, Victoria Horner, who observed the unique memory and logic of Chimpanzees and humans through a simple experiment, involving a black box, a similar, but transparent replica of the black box, a stick and a sticker/food reward as a prize. Click the YouTube videos to discover the research process and her intriguing findings. media type="youtube" key="pIAoJsS9Ix8" height="433" width="527"
 * //It is noted in the original video description on YouTube that this is only a dramatic interpretation of the original findings, though all information is still true//

media type="youtube" key="nHuagL7x5Wc" height="361" width="590"

Bibliography

AngelFire (n.d.) //Another Red Monkey//. Retrieved June 26, 2011 from [] Animals (2011) //Chimpanzee//. Retrieved June 16, 2011 from [] BBC News (2011) //Chimpanzees 'hunt using spears'//. Retrieved June 20, 2011 from [] Honolulu Zoo (2008) //Chimpanzee//. Retrieved June 16, 2011 from [] Out To Africa (n.d.) //Chimpanzee//. Retrieved June 20, 2011 from [] Tanzania National Parks (2008) //Gombe Stream National Park//. Retrieved June 25, 2011 from []