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Status: Endangered
Population: 172,700 to 299,700
Habitat: Forests and Rainforests in Central Africa
Description: Chimpanzees are our closest relatives, sharing 98% of our genes. They are social animals and are capable of using tools like using a stick to pick out termites and leaves to soak up water. They can live to be over 50 years old!
Poaching and illegal wildlife trade is a big threat to chimps. Baby chimps are usually sold as pets and tons of people consider chimpanzee meat a delicacy.
Habitat loss is another big threat. Humans chop down trees to make more space for agriculture, roads, and cities, leaving chimpanzees homeless.
Disease is also another threat to chimps. Ebola killed thousands of chimpanzees, wiping out a third of their population.
Chimpanzees matter because they are seed dispersers and help plants to reproduce. They also have helped us to understand the origins of humans.
You can help by speaking up for chimpanzees and spreading the word. You can also plant lots of trees to help fight against deforestation. (Visit How You Can Prevent Deforestation for more)