Mammals
Chimpanzee
Pan troglodytes
The chimpanzee is, together with the bonobo, our closest living relative: it shares almost 99% of our DNA. It lives in complex societies in the forests and savannas of equatorial Africa, and uses tools to obtain food.
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In short
The chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) is a species with IUCN conservation status EN (Endangered). It ranges across a broad belt of equatorial Africa, from lowland rainforest to forest–savanna mosaics. Animals in Black offers a fine-art portrait of it on a black background, available as a print on Hahnemühle paper: view the print.
Habitat & conservation
Where does the chimpanzee live?
It ranges across a broad belt of equatorial Africa, from lowland rainforest to forest–savanna mosaics. It lives in large communities with a sophisticated social structure, learning and passing on behaviours — genuine local 'cultures' — from one generation to the next.
Is the chimpanzee endangered?
The IUCN Red List rates it Endangered (EN), with a declining population; the western subspecies is Critically Endangered, having crashed by about 80% in a quarter of a century. The main threats are habitat destruction, poaching for bushmeat and infectious diseases such as Ebola.
Facts about the chimpanzee
- It shares roughly 98–99% of its DNA with humans.
- It makes and uses tools, such as sticks to 'fish' for termites.
- Different groups show different behaviours: genuine local cultures.
- It is long-lived, with a generation time of about 25 years.
Data source: IUCN Red List · WWF
RED List
Conservation status codes
- EX Extinct No individuals survive.
- EW Extinct in the wild Survives only in captivity.
- CR Critically endangered Extremely high risk of extinction.
- EN Endangered Very high risk of extinction.
- VU Vulnerable High risk of extinction.
- NT Near threatened Likely to become threatened soon.
- LC Least concern Low risk of extinction.
- DD Data deficient Not enough data to assess.
- NE Not evaluated Not yet assessed by the IUCN.