Introduction
Chimpanzees are primates, the order of animals that includes other great apes (gorillas and orangutans), lemurs, bush babies, monkeys, and humans. Chimps are the mammals that most closely resemble man. They share several similar characteristics such as problem-solving abilities, parental care and various facial expressions. As a matter of fact, the DNA structure of chimpanzees and humans differs by just over one percent.

Community Life
Chimpanzees live in social groups, called communities, that consist of 15 to 60 individuals. There is a dominant male in each community who leads the other adult males in conflicts against predators or trespassing chimp groups. Female chimps and their offspring form close bonds that can last a lifetime. They spend most of their day gathering food, grooming, resting and playing. Each night chimps make a fresh nest up in the trees where they sleep out of the reach of predators.

Chimpanzees Are Noisy
Chimps have 24 to 30 different calls, numerous facial expressions, and a variety of gestures and postures that they use to communicate with each other. Male chimps will throw rocks and sticks as well as shake small trees to show off their strength. When searching for food the male will drum on trees to let other group members know the direction to travel. Pant-hooting is the most common adult call. It is used to identify the caller, give locations of food sources and to warn away other chimp communities. This hoot can be heard up to two miles away! Chimpanzees greet one another much like we do, with embraces, kisses, touches and hand-holding.

Will There Be Snacks?
Chimpanzees are omnivores like us. Their main source of nourishment is fruit. They also eat leaves, blossoms, seeds, stems, bark, resin, honey, insects, eggs and meat. Termites are their favorite insect.

Tools, Too
Chimps have an ability to create tools from objects in their environment. Young chimpanzees learn these skills by observing and being taught by older, experienced chimps. One common example of tool use is inserting twigs in a termite mound to extract the insects.

Conservation
Only 50 years ago, the population of wild chimpanzees numbered in the millions. Today wild populations have been reduced and fragmented by loss of forest habitat due to logging and agriculture or through poaching. Estimates of remaining wild chimps range from 150,000 to 235,000. Chimpanzees were classified as endangered by the United States Fish and Willife Service in 1990.

Species Survival Plan
North American zoos, including Busch Gardens, are managing endangered species, such as chimpanzees, in captive populations with the Species Survival Plan program established in 1981 by the American Zoological Association. Such programs ensure healthygene pools as man learns to better manage the earth's resources.

DNA: (Deoxyribonucleic acid) a complex molecule that stores a cell's hereditary information