Of course we have all heard of chimpanzees. But how many of us have heard that they are endangered? Not many.
Like us, chimps are highly social and caring. They also live to be over 50, unlike many other animals. And guess what? They are the closest cousins to human beings!
Chimpanzees are mostly seen in the plains and forests of Africa. They spend most of their time on treetops, and when they come down, walk on all four legs. They are clever apes that are even capable of using tools even. Chimps are famous as well for catching bugs using sticks, and cracking nuts using rocks.
Unfortunately, these apes too face the threat of being reduced in number. The main risks they face are poaching, habitat loss, and diseases.
Their meat is a primary food source in African countries, and for this reason, poaching has become very rampant in recent years. Besides, infant chimps are sold as pets. Another reason that contributes to the declining chimp population is diseases. The ebola outbreak that killed many humans, also took the lives of thousands of chimpanzees.
Picture credit: google
