Animals

Chimpanzees live in very tight communities and have very close family bonds. They are highly intelligent and this can be seen by their tool use, medicinal plant use and formation of distinct cultures

Since 1990, the wild Common Chimpanzee population has decreased by approximately 90%. their greatest threats are habitat loss, hunting for bushmeat and the pet trade.

Foraging for food is the main daytime activity of a wild chimpanzee. Chimps mostly eat fruit but will also eat leaves, seeds, flowers, insects and small mammals. Our chimpanzees' diet includes a huge variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, peanuts, seeds, popcorn and puffed cereal.

Chimpanzees in the wild spend more than half of their life sleeping and resting, using leaves and branches to make a nest in a tree. Our chimpanzees build nests on elevated platofrms with material such as hay, shredded paper and hessian bags, and may be seen resting throughout the day.

Grooming is a major part of a wild chimpanzees' life. It serves mainly a social function, helping to strength relationships and bonds between animals.

Chimpanzees in the wild spend about 1/5th of their day travelling. They live in a range of around 5km2 in rich rainforest, and much further in less fertile habitat. Our chimpanzees have the largest exhibit in Australia, with many climbing opportunities as well as space for the males to patrol their territory as they would in the wild.

Chimpanzees life in communities numbering up to 120 animals, who share a common home range but rarely assemble in a single troup. We are part of a breeding program with the aim of developing a similar social structure to wild chimpanzees.

Wild chimpanzees use as many as 54 different tools, such as sticks and stones for cracking nuts, twigs to probe for honey and insects, and leaves to sponge up drinking water. Different communities use different tools. This information is passed on through generations and becomes part of the culture of that particular community.

Filmmaker ROBI WATT is currently making a documentary with Zoos SA, which follows the journey of our eight chimps as they start a new life in Australia.