Zagreb Zoo

Names of our animals: Boris, Juba, King, Sara, Megi

Classification
Class: mammals (Mammalia)
Order : primates (Primates)
Family: great apes (Hominidae)

Description
Length of body: 70 - 170 cm, depending on subspecies; weight: females 33 - 47 kg, males 43 - 60 kg; no tail.

Geographic range
Western and central Africa.

Habitat
Tropical rain forests and forested savannah.

Diet
In the wild: fruit, leaves, nuts, bark, seeds, termites, sometimes smaller monkeys, pigs and duikers.
In captivity: fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, dried fruits, fresh leaves and bark, rice and polenta, dairy, ground meat, cereal, eggs.

Reproduction
After the gestation period of 225 days, the female gives birth to one, very rarely two young that weighs almost 2 kg. The newborn suckles mother's milk until 2 – 4 years old, and is sexually mature at 7 years old.

Behaviour
These great apes live in unstable communities of up to 50 individuals, mainly composed of both sexes. Young males stay in the group, but the females leave and join other groups. The dominant male leads the group and determines the hierarchy within it. Chimpanzees are active during the day and at night sleep high in threes in nests they make from twigs and leaves. They build new nests every night.

Predators
Leopards and humans.

Life span
In the wild up to 30 - 40 years.
In captivity over 50 years.

Conservation status
They are endangered mostly by loss of habitat due to deforestation, poaching and bush meat trade (smoked meat of various animals from tropical rainforests of Africa).

IUCN category: EN (endangered species).

Interesting facts
► Chimpanzees have been using tools for over 4 300 years! They use stones, pieces of wood, twigs and sharpened branches as spears. They use tools to get to the food easier.
► After they eat fruit in one spot, the digested seeds come out digested in a completely different place in the forest because the community of chimpanzees move constantly. Those way chimps rejuvenate the forest throughout their territories.

Links
Chimpanzee Cultures
Gombe Chimpanzee Blog
Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Trust
Wild Chimpanzee Foundation
ARKive - Chimpanzee images

Adopted by
     OŠ Cvjetno naselje, 6.a razred (2009/2010)
     Boris Blažičević
     Klara Radić
     Una Čavkić
     Marina Šarić
     Ivor Bašić