Living in communities
Chimpanzees are found in savanna woodlands, grassland-forest mosaics and tropical moist forests, from sea level to about 3,000m in elevation.
Chimpanzees are highly social animals. Their communities consist of loose and flexible groups of males and females (fusion-fission societies) within a fixed home range, led by a dominant male. Members join and leave these communities freely, depending among other on their reproductive status and the availability of resources.
Apart from the dominant leader, there are also groups of individuals with some level of authority. Communities of about 50 individuals each have been reported in forest, woodland and savanna habitat, but overall size range is around 15-80.
Subgroups may include solitary individuals or diverse groups of both sexes and all ages. These aggregations are temporary and constantly change in composition, regardless of gender and age.
Breeding occurs throughout the year. Following a gestation period ranging from 202 and 261 days, females give birth to a single young, and occasionally twins, every 5-6 years. Of these offspring, about three will survive.
For the first 6 months, the young is carried around clinging to its mother's underbelly, and after that it rides on its mother's back. It weans at 3.5-4.5 years, while still remaining reliant on its mother for a longer period, sometimes up to 10 years. Although chimpanzees reach sexual maturity at about 7 years, females do not produce offspring until they reach 13-14 years of age. Chimpanzees may live until they are over 60.
Diet & feeding
Food items include fruits, leaves and other plant parts, honey, insects (especially termites), and occasionally eggs and meat.
Chimpanzees eat with their hands, which they also use to throw objects at enemies and to create tools. Notably, they will poke a stick into a termite mound to feed on the insects, and crack nuts open.
The animals forage during the day for 6-8 hours, with peaks of activity in the early morning and late afternoon. Depending on the fruiting times of the plants they feed on, activities may shift seasonally.
Chimpanzees sometimes stalk, kill and eat other primates or young antelopes, and may hunt co-operatively.