ECOLOGY


The common chimpanzee is a frugivorous species, but will also consume seeds, nuts, flowers, leaves, pith, honey, insects, eggs, and vertebrates, including monkeys. During the dry season when fruit becomes scare seeds as well as bark, flowers, resin, pith, and galls are important food resources. The common chimpanzee will use 300 different plant species per year, and about 20 different plant species per day (Estes, 1991). This species will supplement their diet with termite clay and rocks consumed for the minerals (Nishida and Hiraiwa-Hasegawa, 1987). The common chimpanzee is a capable hunter, usually the males form bands to hunt. They will hunt antelopes, pigs, duikers, and monkeys. One primate species in particular that the common chimpanzee often hunts is Procolobus badius. The individual who makes the kill in the hunting party is the one who eats most of the prey, others hold out their hands and beg for food, usually they get some. The common chimpanzee hunts opportunistically, and groups will quickly form when the time is right (Estes, 1991). Tool use is found in this species, and the common chimpanzee uses tools to extract insects and to crack open nuts. The western common chimpanzee will use a hammer-anvil system to crack open oil-palm nuts (Estes, 1991). They first select a stone with which to use as a hammer, and then they place a nut on another larger stone, finally breaking open the nut with the hammer-stone (Estes, 1991). Individuals may use the same stone over and over again. The species of nuts they use hammers on most often is Coula edulis and Panda oleosa (Estes, 1991). The western common chimpanzee also uses wooden clubs instead of stones as hammers, and females are able to break open Coula nuts in the trees instead of bringing them down to an anvil (Estes, 1991). Panda nuts are the most difficult to break open, and only females have the patience to do so (Estes, 1991). The eastern subspecies forages for the same species of nuts, but does not break them open with tools, rather eating the skin off of the surface; this suggests some degree of differentiation amongst the subspecies, regional culture. The central common chimpanzee will use sticks that are specially selected to fish termites out of a mound (Estes, 1991). Termites will attack anything the comes into the nest, and the central common chimpanzee will exploit this behavior and insert a stick into a hole and lick up the termites that are on the stick. Eastern common chimpanzees use this behavior also, but instead of termites they will fish for ants, there is local variation amongst groups for what insect species they will fish for (Estes, 1991). Infants learn the various tool use behavioral patterns by watching their mothers do the behavior, and they even try to imitate their mothers when they are either cracking nuts or fishing for insects. The common chimpanzee is a diurnal and a semi-terrestrial species. Every night every common chimpanzee, except for the infants, will construct a nest made of branches and leaves up in a tree (Estes, 1991). Usually the tree is one the were foraging near during the day, and members of the group, except for adult and subadult males, will build their nests near each other (Estes, 1991).

MEAN GROUP SIZE:

• eastern common chimpanzee:
• central common chimpanzee:
• western common chimpanzee:

TOOL (OBJECT) USE BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS:

• leaf-sponge: This is where an individual will use a leaf mass as a sponge, and this behavioral pattern is found in all subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999).
• nasal probe: This is where an individual will use a stick to clear out the nasal passage, and is only found in the schweinfurthii subspecies and has only been seen at Mahale, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• comb: This is where an individual uses a stem to comb through the hair, and this is only found in the schweinfurthii subspecies and has only been seen at Budongo, Uganda (Whiten et al., 1999).
• insect-pound: This is where a probe (e.g. a stick) is used to mash an insect, and this is only found in the verus subspecies and has only been seen at Bossou, Guinea (Whiten et al., 1999).
• branch-hook: This is where an individual uses one branch to hook another branch, and this is only found in the verus subspecies and has only been seen at Bossou, Guinea (Whiten et al., 1999).
• dig: This is where an individual uses a spade to dig out a termite nest, and this is only found in the verus subspecies and has only been seen at Bossou, Guinea (Whiten et al., 1999).
• container: This is where an individual uses an object as a container, and this is only found in the schweinfurthii subspecies and has only been seen at Gombe, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• leaf-mop: This is where an individual will use a leaf to mop up insects for consumption, and this is only found in the schweinfurthii subspecies and has only been seen at Gombe and Mahale, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• leaf-wipe: This is where an individual uses a leaf to wipe food off of the skull, and this is found both in the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies and only at the sites of Tai Forest, Ivory Coast and Gombe, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• leaf-brush: This is where an individual uses a leaf to brush away bees, and this is only found in the schweinfurthii subspecies and has only been seen at Gombe, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• algae-scoop: This is where an individual will scoop algae using a wand, and this is only found in the verus subspecies and has only been seen at Bossou, Guinea (Whiten et al., 1999).
• anvil-prop: This is where an individual will use a rock to prop an anvil, and this is only found in the verus subspecies and has only been seen at Bossou, Guinea (Whiten et al., 1999).
• food-pound onto wood: This is where an individual will smash food onto a wooden object, and this is found in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Bossou, Guinea; Tai Forest, Ivory Coast; Gombe, Tanzania; and Budongo, Uganda (Whiten et al., 1999).
• food-pound onto other: This is like food-pound onto wood, except it is not on wood, and this is found in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Tai Forest, Ivory Coast and Gombe, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• nut-hammer, wood hammer on wood anvil: This is where an individual uses a wooden hammer on a wooden anvil to break open a nut, and this is only found in the verus subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Tai Forest, Ivory Coast (Whiten et al., 1999).
• nut-hammer, wood hammer on stone anvil: This is where an individual uses a wooden hammer on a stone anvil to break open a nut, and this is only found in the verus subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Tai Forest, Ivory Coast (Whiten et al., 1999).
• nut-hammer, stone hammer on wood anvil: This is where an individual uses a stone hammer on a wooden anvil to break open a nut, and this is only found in the verus subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Tai Forest, Ivory Coast and Bossou, Guinea (Whiten et al., 1999).
• nut-hammer, stone hammer on stone anvil: This is where an individual uses a stone hammer on a stone anvil to break open a nut, and this is only found in the verus subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Tai Forest, Ivory Coast and Bossou, Guinea (Whiten et al., 1999).
• club: This is where an individual will strike forcefully with a stick, and is found in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Bossou, Guinea; Tai Forest, Ivoy Coast; Gombe and Mahale, Tanzania; and Kibale, Uganda (Whiten et al., 1999).
• termite-fish using leaf midrib: This is where an individual uses the midrib of a leaf to fish for termites, and this found in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Bossou, Guinea and at Mahale, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• termite-fish using non-leaf materials: This is where an individual will fish for termites using an object which is not a leaf, and this is only found in the schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Gombe and Mahale, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• ant-fish: This is where an individual will fish for ants using a probe, and this found in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Bossou, Guinea; Gombe, Tanzania; and Mahale, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• ant-dip-wipe: This is where an individual will remove the ants from the probe with their hands, and this is found in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Bossou, Guinea and at Gombe, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• ant-dip-single: This is where an individual will remove ants from a probe using their mouth, and this is seen in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Bossou, Guinea; Tai Forest, Ivory Coast; and Gombe, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• fluid-dip: This is where an individual will use a probe to extract fluids, and this is seen in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is seen at Tai Forest, Ivory Coast; Gombe and Mahale, Tanzania; and Kibale, Uganda (Whiten et al., 1999).
• bee-probe: This is where an individual will disable a bee then flick it with a probe, and this is seen in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is found at Tai Forest, Ivory Coast, and at Mahale, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• lever open: This is where an individual will enlarge an entrance to an insect nest, and this is seen in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is found at Tai Forest, Ivory Coast and at Gombe, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• expel/stir: This is where an individual will use a stick to expel or stir insects in a nest, and this is seen in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999).
• seat-vegetation: This is where an individual will use large leaves as a seat, and this is seen in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is found at Bossou, Guinea; Tai Forest, Ivory Coast; and Kibale, Uganda (Whiten et al., 1999).
• fly-whisk: This is where an individual will use a stick with leaves on it to fan away flies, and this is seen in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is found at Tai Forest, Ivory Coast; Gombe, Tanzania; and Budongo, Uganda (Whiten et al., 1999).
• self-tickle: This is where an individual will tickle themselves using an object, and this is only seen in the schweinfurthii subspecies and is found at Gombe, Tanzania (Whiten et al., 1999).
• leaf-napkin: This is where an individual will use a leaf to clean the body, and this is seen in both the verus and schweinfurthii subspecies (Whiten et al., 1999). This pattern is found at Tai Forest, Ivory Coast; Gombe and Mahale, Tanzania; and Kibale and Budongo, Uganda (Whiten et al., 1999). [Common Chimpanzee] [Morphology] [Range] [Ecology] [Locomotion] [Social Behavior] [Vocal Communication] [Olfactory Communication] [Visual Communication] [Tactile Communication] [Reproduction] [References] [Primate Behavior] [Chimpanzee Links]