FAST APE FACTS
Chimpanzees
• chimpanzees live in the forests and savannahs of Africa.
• they form social groups that are competitive and male dominated.
• chimpanzees often use tools, such as large stones to break open nuts.
• group members cooperatively hunt animals, such as the red colobus monkey.
• chimpanzees are endangered with fewer than 300,000 estimated to be living in the wild.
Bonobos
• bonobos live only in the rainforest of Africa’s Congo Basin.
• they are the only great ape species in which females are the dominant sex.
• bonobos live in large groups and are incredibly sociable and sexually active apes.
• sexual behaviour plays a major role in group living, such as reducing aggressive behaviour.
• bonobos are endangered with fewer than 60,000 estimated to be living in the wild.
Gorillas
• gorillas live in Africa’s rainforest and mountainous areas.
• there are two species of gorilla: the Western and Eastern.
• gorillas are the largest species of great ape.
• group living tends to be peaceful and led by one dominant silverback male.
• unlike other great ape species, gorillas often sleep on the ground instead of in the trees.
• the Cross River gorilla is the world's most critically endangered great ape with fewer than 300 estimated to be living in the wild.
Orangutans
• orangutans live only in southeast Asia in Malaysia and Indonesia.
• there are two species of orangutan: Sumatran and Bornean.
• the name "orangutan" derives from the Malay language meaning “person of the forest”.
• orangutans spend most of their time living and travelling within the forest canopy.
• Bornean orangutans are endangered with estimates that fewer than 70,000 exist in the wild.
• Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered with fewer than 10,000 estimated to exist in the wild.
Gibbons
· gibbons live in the rain forests of South, East and South-East Asia.
· there are more gibbon species than all other ape species taken together.
· they are the only apes living in serial monogamy with stable pair-bonds.
· they have very long and strong arms that allow them to swing from tree branch to tree branch at a very fast pace.
· they are very territorial, sing and can walk on two legs.
· Hainan gibbons are the most critically endangered ape species with fewer than 20 individuals left in the wild.