Anthroposophie

HIS TAXONOMY 

• Genus Pan

             -Chimpanzee (Chimps) (Pan troglodytes)

                        -Pan troglodytes troglodytes

                        -Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii

                        -Pan troglodytes verus

             -Bonobo, pygmy chimpanzee (Pan paniscus)

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WHERE DOES THE NAME COME FROM?

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The name "chimpanzee" means "mockman" in a Bantu language. The species name troglodytes makes reference to the "cavegoers" while th genus name Pan is a reference to Pan, Greek god of nature and wilderness.

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WHERE CAN YOU FIND THEM?

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Chimpanzees: almost exclusively in the heavily forested regions of Central and West                                            Africa. Their distribution is much more extensive than the Bonobos.

 

Bonobos: only in Central Africa in the humid forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo,                       south of the Congo River and north of the Kasai River.

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WHAT DOES HIS SOCIAL STRUCTURE LOOK LIKE?

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Chimpanzees live in social groups formed by males and females which are called communities. Within the community, there is a social hierarchy in which the dominant male is referred to as the "alpha male". This chimp controls the group and maintains order during disputes.  Females have also their own hierarchy. The dominant ones have first access to food, while lower-ranking females have to wait. In some communities young females may inherit high status from a high-ranking mother.

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HOW DO THEY COMMUNICATE?

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In their naturasl environment, himps use nonverbal communication, vocalizations, hand gestures and facial expressions. However, there is evidence that they can recreate human speech. Chimpanzees are even able to learn a limited set of sign language symbols and use them in order to communicate with their human trainers.

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ARE THEY ABLE TO LAUGH?

 

YES! Laughter isn´t unique to humans. The differences may be the result of adaptations that have evolved to enable human speech. However, they may laugh for the same reasons we do. Chimps are not the only ones. Gorillas and orangutans produce also laughter-like vocalizations in response to certain situations.

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WHAT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHIMPS AND BONOBOS?

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The main differences are sexual and based on social behaviours.

CHIMPANZEES: omnivorous diet, hunting culture, complex social relationships and hierarchy.

BONOBOS: mainly frugivorous diet, egalitarian, nonviolent, matrialchal, sexually receptive behaviour. They have sex to prevent and solve conflict, which may sound curious.

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INTERESTING FACTS

1) They have the ability to work with tools.

2) They are arboreal and terrestrial.

3) They are vulnerable to catch human diseases.

4)We share 98% of our genome with them!

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