Learn the Chimpanzee – Background – Information – Habits- Uganda – Rwanda
How Chimpanzees Exist in the Wild of African Forests – in Uganda and Rwanda
The Biggest Threat to Chimpanzees are Human Beings
All About Chimpanzees in Uganda – Rwanda – Uganda’s Present Chimpanzee Population is around 5000 plus living both within protected areas such parks and national forests and unprotected areas, where it has been reported that they have adapted to the changing habitat and the presence of Humans around them.
In Rwanda the Chimpanzee Population is in the hundreds, a far cry of what it used to be but the government there has taken strong measures in protecting the Present Chimpanzee Population by rebuilding forests such as the new Gishwati – Mukura National Park.
Chimpanzee – Background – Information – Habits- Uganda – Rwanda -All About Chimpanzees in Uganda – Rwanda – Chimpanzees were once widely spread across Sub-Saha
ra Africa, found in over 25 countries, today you can find them in only 21 countries and the outlook is bleak since the ever-increasing human population, including in Uganda is threatening the traditional habitats of Chimpanzees.
Deforestation is common. some of that occurs to create farmland, to harvest lumber legally or illegally for profit, for industrial farming as for tobacco, sugar, cotton, maize, sunflower and more.
Add on top of that the human-chimpanzee conflict where Chimpanzees raid gardens, villages for food and villagers retaliate in one way or another.
Chimpanzees are under threat throughout Sub-Saharan African including in Uganda where the government has take strong steps toward Chimpanzee conservation.
It is illegal to kill, trap, injure Chimpanzees in Uganda but such laws, good as they are must be enforced and not with slap on the wrist fines but consequences that will act as strong deterrents to Illegal Acts.
Governments must do all that they can to protect Chimpanzees in the parks and outside of parks by radically enforcing anti – deforestation measures, educating local communities in how to live in harmony with chimpanzees in nearby parks and for local communities receiving a share of entrance fees into the parks as it is being done, but demonstrating to local communities the benefits of Chimpanzee Eco-Tourism.
Rwanda is one of the countries where radical measures were and are being taken in rebuilding its forests and even forest corridors such as the one between the Gishwati-Mukura National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Chimpanzee – Background – Information – Habits- Uganda – Rwanda
Chimpanzees are our closest Relatives – DNA 98.7% similar to Humans:
Chimpanzees share a lot with humans when it comes to behavioral traits – Chimpanzees Pan Troglodytes grow to about 3 /12 to four feet in height. The y will weigh from 55 upward to 110 pounds. Their life-expectancy is about years, their diets will be mostly be fruits, however they will also hunt other monkeys such as in Kibale Forest, they will also consume insects such as termites and ants.
Chimpanzee Physical Characteristics:
They have solid bodies, their arms are long, their legs are short and they have no tails. Chimpanzee bodies are covered with hair that is long and black however ears, fingers, face, toes have no hair on them.
They have strong hands, a firm grip and they can pick up objects such as tools in cases which they even use as tools.
Habitats of Chimpanzee:
The most often live in places such as rainforests as in the case of Kibale Forest in Uganda and Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda. They also are found in other forested areas that border the savannas in places, as shown in recent studies in Uganda, they have the ability to adapt to changing conditions brought about by human encroachment.
The Behavior of Chimpanzees:
Chimpanzees live in what is called troops numbering between 30 and 80 individual chimpanzees. Within those groups are smaller sub-groups that can be just a few chimpanzees, at times all male or female.
Chimpanzees are quite clever in their behavior. They will even chew leaves making them like a sponge which in turn they dip into a stream, lake and then suck out the liquid. They use tools such as sticks, twigs to pull out termites or ants out of their nests to eat them, they are also quite adept at cracking nuts with a stone to eat them.
They spend much of their time on the ground where you will even see them walking erect for short distances. Their nests for the night are built in the trees in a short time, in some places even on the ground where they often take a midday slumber and sleep during the night. It has however been discovered that the will go on crop-raids outside of places such as Kibale Forest on Moonlit nights.
The Diet of Chimpanzees:
As Chimpanzees rise in the morning they will forage the surrounding area for fruit, supplemented by leaves, even flowers. Fruit is handpicked, while berries may be consumed directly from the stems. Chimpanzees will also feed on ants and termites, in Kibale Forest Chimpanzees have almost hunted the Red Colobus Monkeys in that area almost into extinction which might come as a surprise, nevertheless a reality.
Chimpanzee Communication:
When you go Chimpanzee Trekking or on an all day Chimpanzee Habituation Experience, long before you will see the Chimpanzees you will hear them. They are some of noisiest creatures on the planet and use a very organized if not complex ways of making sounds, from warning cries that pierce the otherwise stillness of the forest which can be heard even a kilometer or more away along with their hoots, screams, grunts and even using hollowed out trees
like a drum. Chimpanzees are the noisemakers in the forest and in their communication with one another they even show affection when they meet as with a kiss, the hold hands and care for each other by grooming one another. Some Chimpanzees even have close friends with which they will spend more times than with other Chimpanzees.
Baby Chimpanzees and Reproduction:
Female Chimpanzees give birth to a baby Chimp about every 4 years. Females will mate with several males while they are in heat. The mother will normally give birth to one Baby Chimpanzee which she cares for intensely holding the baby to her breasts. Babies can sit and walk after about 5 months. The youngsters stay with their mothers for about three years being fed by them, at four years they will set out on their own. Chimpanzees reach sexual maturity at about 8 to ten years of age and the cycle begins all over again.
Threats to Chimpanzees:
Chimpanzees are under threat and the biggest threat is the loss of habitat due to human encroachment, the cutting down of forests. There is also the exposure to diseases which include the same ones that affected human populations throughout Africa, including some of the deadly viruses.
The most common natural predator are Leopards which are found in all the forests with chimpanzees in Uganda, Lions are also a threat but not like Leopards.
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