This species is also threatened by disease. Even those chimpanzees which live in protected areas, like national parks and reserves, are subject to illegal mining, logging, and agricultural activities. As these habitats become more fragmented, chimpanzee populations are forced to live in greater isolation, which results in a less diverse gene pool. Infrastructure expansion, in particular, has also provided poachers with easier access to chimpanzee habitats. Many times, the mother is killed and sold in the urban markets as bushmeat and her baby is then sold off as a pet.Ĭhimpanzee habitat loss is also a significant contributor to the population decline as infrastructure expansion, deforestation, and increasing urbanization are infringing upon historical chimpanzee territories. Additionally, these animals are highly sought to be sold and traded in the illegal pet market. In other areas, this species is killed for use as folk medicine. Chimpanzee meat makes up between 1 and 3% of bushmeat in Ivory Coast markets. These animals are valued as a food source for humans. Poaching is a serious problem for chimpanzee conservation. The primary threats facing chimpanzees today include: poaching, illegal pet trade, habitat loss, and sickness. Its status as an endangered species has been caused by a number of factors which are discussed below. The common chimpanzee has a wild population size of between 150,000 and 250,000 and the bonobo is estimated to have a wild population of between 29,500 and 50,000. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed this species as endangered. Today, however, its range and population size have significantly declined. The chimpanzee population was believed to be approximately 1 million. At the beginning of the 20th century, this area extended from the western regions of Tanzania and Uganda to the southern region of Senegal and chimpanzees inhabited the heavily forested areas. Conservation StatusĬhimpanzees could once be found across the central area of Africa, within the equatorial region. This article takes a closer look at the conservation status, threats, and global population of the chimpanzee. Chimpanzees are social animals that live in communities of between 15 and 80 individuals. Both have the largest brains of all primates, are the most intelligent, use tools, and are the closest relatives to humans. These two chimpanzee species can be differentiated by their size and social structure the common chimpanzee is larger and has a patriarchal society, while the bonobo is smaller and has a matriarchal society. The bonobo inhabits areas south of the Congo river and the common chimpanzee can be found to the north of the Congo river. This species is divided into two subspecies: the bonobo and the common chimpanzee. The chimpanzee is a great ape species that is native to sub-Saharan Africa, where it prefers forests and jungles. Population And Distribution Of Chimpanzees: Important Facts And Figures An adult chimpanzee.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |