Meet the chimpanzee
Chimpanzees learn tool tricks from each other, so different forests have different chimp 'cultures'.
Friends and family
They live in big communities that split into smaller groups during the day and meet up again.
Mothers carry and teach their young for 5 years or more; older siblings help babysit.
How they talk
Over 30 different calls, plus hand gestures, face expressions and back-slapping hugs.
How clever are they?
Chimps shape sticks into tools, crack nuts with stone hammers and can beat humans at some memory games.
What they feel
Chimps comfort a friend who lost a fight by hugging and grooming them.
Superpower: Flash memory
Young chimps can glance at numbers on a screen and tap them back in order faster than most adults.
👀 See the world through their eyes
Sight
Colour vision as sharp as ours, tuned to spotting ripe fruit in green leaves.
Touch
Grooming is how chimps say sorry, hello and thank you.
🤓 Did you know?
- Different chimp groups use different tools — a bit like different cultures.
- Chimps can recognise faces of friends they haven't seen for years.
- Whether chimps understand what others believe is still being studied.scientists are still studying this
Living alongside people
Chimps have been used in labs and entertainment; today sanctuaries care for many who were rescued.