Both sexes have been known to hunt bushbucks.Īdditionally, western chimpanzees feed on termites and ants, using tools to scoop the insects out of their nests. Senegal bushbabies account for 75% of females' prey and are the only western chimpanzees observed to hunt banded mongooses. Males prey more on other primates, such as green monkeys, patas monkeys, and Guinea baboons. Another unique quality of their hunting is that male and female western chimpanzees differ in their prey. Western chimpanzees use wooden spears for hunting and teach younger chimpanzees how to make and operate them successfully. Over half of their diet comprises fruit, while the other half is dedicated to hunting prey. Omnivorous, western chimpanzees have a set of teeth adapted to both grinding plants and tearing meat. While this species is not that visually different from the central and eastern chimpanzees, western chimpanzees have been isolated for over half a million years and are now genetically and behaviorally very distinct. Females are slightly smaller, with a length of about 70–91 centimeters (27.5–36 in) and a weight of 41.6 kilograms (92 lb).īlack hair covers their entire body, hands, and feet, and opposable thumbs allow for complex motor functions. Males have a head-to-rump length of 77–96 centimeters (30–38 in) and a weight of 47 kilograms (103.5 lb). ![]() ![]() Today, they are only found in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau, with the largest population in Côte d'Ivoire. Once, the western chimpanzee population spanned from southern Senegal east to the Niger River. The western chimpanzee is the Iconic Species of the West African Coastal Forests & Savanna bioregion ( AT19). The western chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes verus), along with bonobos, share more than 98% of their DNA with humans and many of the same activities such as using tools for hunting and plants for medicinal purposes, and even rocks to play sports. One Earth’s “Species of the Week” series highlights an iconic species that represents the unique biogeography of each of the 185 bioregions of the Earth.Īmong the dense mountain forests of West Africa is the closest living relative of human beings.
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