An ape of African forests and landscapes where forest and savanna meet. It climbs using long arms and fingers.
At Goualougo, chimpanzees fray plant stems into brush-tipped tools for termite fishing.
Chimpanzees eat insects as well as fruit and leaves. At Goualougo, researchers recorded animals modifying plant stems before inserting them into termite nests. Teeth and fingers turned the ends into brush-like tips, revealing the sequence of preparation and use.
Camera recordings from Goualougo in Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo, during 2003–2006 showed chimpanzees making brush-tipped termite-fishing probes from plant stems. They modified tips by pulling stems through their teeth or splitting them lengthwise. In 52 of 54 complete manufacture episodes involving 31 individuals, the brush was made before the tool contacted the termite nest.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Forest development and hunting for meat threaten chimpanzees. Their conservation involves both habitat and hunting pressures.