The chimpanzee are humans’ closest living relatives, just like the bonobo, another ape. They look alike in many ways, both in body and behavior. Chimpanzee share a surprising 98.8 percent of our DNA as according to scientists. Most chimpanzees in Uganda are found almost exclusively in the heavily forested regions such as Kibale.
Behavior and Social structure
According to research, Chimpanzee behavior is close to that of humans. However, it is suspected that human observers can influence these smart creature’s behavior thereby coming up with inaccurate conclusions.
However, they live in large multi-male and multi-female social groups called communities, with one or more dominant leaders. The leader is usually a male referred to as the alpha male and his biggest task is to control the group and maintaining order during disputes.
To prove their high levels intelligence, unlike in the mountain gorillas where their dominant male, the silver back is the largest or strongest male, the alpha male is rather the most manipulative and political male that can influence the goings on within the community.
As the alpha male is for the whole community of chimpanzees, females also have a hierarchy, which is influenced by the position of a female individual within a group. In some chimpanzee communities, the young females may inherit high status from a high-ranking mother. Dominant females will also ally to dominate lower-ranking females. High-ranking females will often have first access to resources such as food.
Meanwhile, both genders acquire dominant status to improve social standing within a group.
Communication
Chimpanzee pass messages between themselves in a manner that is similar to that of human nonverbal communication. They use vocalizations, hand gestures, and facial expressions.
Chimpanzee Tracking in Uganda
Chimpanzee tracking provides a unique adventure on your trip to specifically Uganda. In Uganda, chimpanzee tracking is most popular in three places with Kibale Forest National park at the top, Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth and Ngamba Island Chimpanzee sanctuary respectively. They are also found in Budongo and Kanyiyo Pabidi forests.
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale and Kyambura Gorge are in a natural environment while Ngamba Island is renowned for inhabiting orphaned chimpanzees, most of which rescued from environments shared with humans to protect them from harm.
Tracking these creatures in Kibale costs USD 150 while in Kyambura gorge, it is at USD 50 (minus park entrance). However, it is not guaranteed that you may always find and see them while in Kyambura gorge.
Chimpanzee Habituation
The chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX) allows you to accompany Kibale’s researchers and habituators as they follow chimpanzees during their daily activity, thereby getting them used to human presence without altering their normal behavior.
This is an all-day early visitors may be able to see the spectacular scene of chimps de-nesting, copulating, hunting, breastfeeding, resting, patrolling and displaying until they build new nests and retire for the night around 7.00pm. Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale Forest is at USD 200.
Kibale forest also offers more than 10 other kinds of primates including L’Hoest monkeys, Bush babies, Mangabeys and Red tailed colobus monkeys among others.
Are they Peaceful?
Chimpanzees may be peaceful to humans but not to fellow chimpanzees from other groups and lower-order primates. Adult common chimpanzees, particularly males can be very aggressive since they are highly territorial. Once another male encroaches on a given chimpanzee’s territory, these males can fight to death.
It is said that chimpanzees also engage in targeted hunting of lower-order primates, such as the red colobus and bush babies and use their meat as a social tool within their community.