Chimpanzee

The chimpanzee is a great ape native to equatorial Africa and one of humans’ closest living relatives.

The chimpanzee is a great ape native to equatorial Africa and one of humans' closest living relatives. It is known for high intelligence, social complexity, and significant physical strength relative to body size. Two species are recognized: the common chimpanzee and the bonobo, though 'chimpanzee' usually refers to the common chimpanzee in general-use writing.

Biology and classification

Chimpanzees are great apes in the genus Pan. The common chimpanzee and bonobo are the two living Pan species, with the common chimpanzee being the species most often meant in general references.

Behaviour and diet

Chimpanzees are social animals with complex communication, tool use, and cooperative behaviour. They are omnivores that feed mainly on plant matter, especially fruit, but also eat insects and occasionally small animals or meat.

Strength and human comparison

Research published in the medical and primatology literature has found that chimpanzees are stronger than humans on a pound-for-pound basis, especially in pulling and jumping tasks. Estimates from reviewed studies commonly place the difference at about 1.5 times, not the larger figures often repeated in popular media.

Conservation and threats

Chimpanzees are classified as endangered. Major threats include habitat destruction, hunting, and disease, which have reduced and fragmented populations across their range.