Facts about Chimpanzee

Although Uganda is rich in nature and culture, the country is without a doubt *Primate Destination Number 1 *in Africa. Apart from the legendary mountain gorillas, the country hosts 19 other different species of primates, including the fascinating chimpanzees. Before the 20th century, the chimp population was over a several million in Uganda, but this number has dramatically decreased due to deterioration of their natural habitat. These days, Uganda is home to approximately 5,000 chimpanzees divided over about twelve forest blocks.

Chimpanzee communities can be visited in Kibale Forest National Park, Kyambura Gorge and Ngamba Island, a chimpanzee sanctuary in Lake Victoria that cares for orphaned chimps. But one of the best places to see chimpanzees in the wild is definitely Budongo Forest Reserve, with a community of more than 600 chimpanzees.

Curious about the chimpanzees and their behavior? Find out more about these great apes and get prepared for your chimp tracking!

Chimpanzee behavior

Chimpanzees live in complex societies, solve complicated problems, make and use tools, engage in elaborate social interactions and communicate through a variety of sounds and gestures. When encountering wild chimpanzees, you may observe a variety of behaviors.

- Feeding:
Chimpanzees spend most of their active time in search of food. Their diet consists for 70% of fruit. Chimpanzees help regenerate the forest as the seeds in their dung are deposited in other areas of the forest.

- Grooming:
Grooming helps to remove dirt and parasites. However, its true importance is that the behavior strengthens friendships and reduces tension among group members.

- Traveling:
Strong arms with grasping hands and feet allow chimpanzees to easily climb through the trees. On the ground, chimpanzees most often move on all four hands, supporting their weight on the knuckles.

- Maternal care:
Chimpanzees are caring mothers. They place "tickle games" with their young and teach them the complex rules of the chimpanzee society. Youngsters remain with their mothers for 9 to 12 years before coming independent.

*Chimpanzee life*:
Chimpanzees are long-lived, with some individuals reaching ages of more than 40 years. Like humans, chimpanzees mature slowly. Females typically have their first baby when they are 10 years old and may not breed again for 3 to 4 years.

Chimpanzees live in communities containing up to 120 individuals. These communities are territorial and live in defined home ranges. A territory that can support an entire community of chimpanzees requires many square kilometers of forest habitat.

The movement of chimpanzees is dictated by a variety of environmental and social factors. The distribution of food and watery, the presence of predators, the availability of cycling females and the size and movements of neighboring communities all affect the group's use of their habitat.

*The future of the Chimpanzees*
Each chimpanzee needs one square kilometer of high-quality habitat to have the resources they need to survive. Chimpanzees travel long distances on the ground in search of seasonal fruits scattered throughout the forest. The trees provide not only a variety of fruits, but also places to build sleeping nests and offer escape routes from danger.

Given the complex life of the chimpanzee and its dependence upon the forest, conservation efforts must be long-term and multifaceted.

*Tracking Chimpanzees:
Sharing 98.4% DNA with humans, chimps are our closest living relatives on earth. No surprise why tracking these amazing creates is such an *once in a life time experience*!

The guides at Budongo Forest are skilled in the art of chimpanzee tracking. They look for clues well hidden in the forest to located the chimpanzees. Here are a few examples:

- Nests
Chimpanzees use tree branches and foliage to build nests that are used for sleeping. To spot a chimpanzee nest, you must have a keen eye as they often appear to be nothing more than a dense patch of foliage in the forest canopy.

- Prints:
Chimpanzees travel on the ground in a motion called knuckle walking. This type of movement can leave behind a knuckle print.

- Dung:
Chimpanzees dung can help the guides to determine how recently a chimpanzee has been in the area.

- Fruits:
When chimpanzees eat they discard parts of fruits or wads of leaves. These clues help the guides to track the chimpanzees.

*Do's and don'ts* - Chimpanzee Tracking:
As our esteemed guests, we ask you to respect our simple rules for the safety and preservation of the forest, its animals and visitors...

When in the forest:

... You must be accompanied by one of our guides
... Leave all items where you found them in the forest
... Smoking is prohibited

While viewing chimpanzees:

... Follow your guide's instructions
... Remain at least 10 meters from the chimpanzees
... Don't eat or drink in front of the chimpanzees
... Don't use your flash when taking a photo as it frightens the chimps
... For conservation purposes time spent with the Chimpanzees is limited to one hour
... If you are ill you can are not allowed to visit the chimpanzees as you put them at risk
... The minimum age for chimp tracking is 15 years
... Group sizes for chimp tracking are limited to 8 people