CHIMPANZEES
CHIMPANZEES
Common chimpanzees belong to the genus Pan with four commonly recognized subspecies
Pan troglodytes
CONSERVATION STATUS: ENDANGERED
Common chimpanzees can be found across the forests and savannas of equatorial Africa. Their range includes the countries of Sierra Leone, Angola, Tanzania, and Congo where they make their homes in a variety of habitats from savannas to tropical rainforests, low-altitude forests, and mountain forests.
Four subspecies of chimpanzees have been identified, based on differences in appearance and distribution. See the subspecies below.
Pan troglodytes troglodytes
CONSERVATION STATUS: ENDANGERED
Central African chimpanzees live in the dense tropical rainforests of Central Africa. These forests are characterized by hot weather and heavy rain. The boundaries of their range are set by the Congo River in the south, the Ubangi River in the east, and the Sanaga River in the north. They are found in the countries of…
Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii
CONSERVATION STATUS: ENDANGERED
As their name suggests, Eastern chimpanzees are found in the eastern part of equatorial Africa. From north to south, their range extends from the southeastern CAR (Central African Republic) through northern DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo). The Congo River, a significant geographical feature, serves as their…
Pan troglodytes ellioti
CONSERVATION STATUS: ENDANGERED
The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee, sometimes called Elliot’s chimpanzee, is native to the two African countries that give it its namesake. Geographic distribution is restricted to isolated patches of forest within southwestern Nigeria, the Nigeria Delta and floodplain, and to Nigeria’s eastern border north of the Sanaga River…
Pan troglodytes verus
CONSERVATION STATUS: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Western chimpanzees, also known as West African chimpanzees, are found in western Africa in the countries of Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire), Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, and Burkina Faso. This subspecies of the common chimpanzee also used to inhabit Benin, Gambia, and…