What the sources say

ChimpanzeePan troglodytes

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Chimpanzee profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 52 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

Profile updated September 23, 2026

Source
01

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Chimpanzee. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The page saysfrom West Africa: The source saysChimpanzees inhabit tropical rainforest, and lowland and mountain forests in western and Central Africa.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysFruit, leaves, seeds and insects, hunted meat such as monkeys and small antelope: The source saysScientists have recorded about 80 different items chimps eat, including seeds, fruit, leaves, bark, honey, flowers, and insects ... chimpanzees also hunt other wildlife, like monkeys or small antelope, for meat.Note: stats.diet
The page saysA chimpanzee (*Pan troglodytes*) in one forest strips a twig and dips it into a termite mound to fish out the insects inside.: The source saysThey often strip a branch of its leaves and then dip it in an ant or termite hill to get the insects inside.Note: illustrative single animal; 'in one forest' because termite fishing is not universal
The page saysAdult chimpanzees measure about 3 feet (0.9 meters) from head to rump.: The source saysHead to rump: About 3 feet (0.9 meters)
The page saysFemales weigh 70 to 100 pounds (32 to 45 kilograms) and males 90 to 120 pounds (40 to 55 kilograms).: The source saysWeight: Females 70 to 100 pounds (32 to 45 kilograms); males 90 to 120 pounds (40 to 55 kilograms)
The page saysSan Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance puts the average lifespan at 32 years for males and 40 years for females.: The source saysLIFE SPAN On average, 32 years for males and 40 years for females
The page saysHome is a community that can sometimes number as many as 100 chimpanzees, made up of family groups of usually about 6 to 10.: The source saysWithin these family groups there are usually about 6 to 10 individuals. An entire chimp community can sometimes have as many as 100 members, made up of many different family groups.
The page saysChimpanzees eat a wide variety of food, including fruit, leaves, bark, seeds, flowers and insects, and they also hunt other animals such as monkeys and small antelope for meat.: The source saysChimpanzees eat a wide variety of food. Scientists have recorded about 80 different items chimps eat, including seeds, fruit, leaves, bark, honey, flowers, and insects ... chimpanzees also hunt other wildlife, like monkeys or small antelope, for meat.
The page saysWhen water is scarce, they chew leaves to make them soft and sponge-like, then use them to soak up rainwater inside tree holes.: The source saysWhen water is scarce, chimps chew leaves so they are soft and sponge-like—this allows them to then soak up rainwater inside of tree holes.
The page saysSome observers have noted chimpanzees eating medicinal plants when they are ill or injured.: The source saysSome observers have noted chimpanzees eating medicinal plants when they are ill or injured.
The page saysKeeping chimpanzees as illegal pets has caused a decline in their populations, and people also hunt them for bushmeat or to protect their crops.: The source sayssome people keep chimpanzees as pets. This illegal activity has caused a decline in their populations. People also hunt chimps for food (called bushmeat) or to protect their crops from being eaten.
The page saysThese conditions, plus loss of habitat, have led to the chimpanzee's Endangered status: The source saysThese conditions, plus loss of habitat, have led to their endangered status.
The page saysChimpanzees often strip the leaves off a branch and dip it into a termite mound to fish out insects, chew leaves into a sponge to soak up rainwater from tree holes when water is scarce: The source saysThey often strip a branch of its leaves and then dip it in an ant or termite hill to get the insects inside. When water is scarce, chimps chew leaves so they are soft and sponge-like—this allows them to then soak up rainwater inside of tree holes.Note: faq 1; the nut-hammer clause is claimed separately against adw-chimpanzee
The page sayswhile others often fish for termites with stripped twigs: The source saysThey often strip a branch of its leaves and then dip it in an ant or termite hill to get the insects inside.Note: vibe.reason (#692/#693)

Source
02

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Pan troglodytes (chimpanzee). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saystool kits that vary from community to community: The source saysThe tools used, and the uses to which they are put, vary between communitiesNote: tagline
The page saysMachiavellian troop politics: The source saysCoalitions between males may affect dominance interactions, and chimpanzees are effective at social manipulations.Note: tagline
The page saysTropical rainforests, forest-savanna mosaics and montane forests up to 2,750 m: The source saysAlthough they are typically thought of as living in tropical rainforests, they are also found in forest-savanna mosaic environments, as well as in montain forests at elevations up to 2,750 m ... Range elevation 0 to 2,750 mNote: stats.habitat; ADW's own typo 'montain' for 'montane'
The page sayseast to western Uganda and Tanzania: The source saysIn the far eastern portion of the range, from the northwestern corner of Zaire into western Uganda and Tanzania, P. troglodytes schweinfurthi is found.Note: stats.habitat; ADW's range, which the current SDZ page's 'western and Central Africa' leaves out
The page saysin some populations nuts cracked open with stone or stick hammers: The source saysRocks or sticks are used in some populations as hammers to open hard-shelled nuts.Note: stats.diet
The page saysRegional tool kits (termite-fishing twigs, nut-cracking hammers, leaf sponges) that differ from community to community: The source saysChimpanzees often use twigs, sticks, or stems that they have modified as tools with which to fish for insects. Ants and termites are commonly acquired this way. Leaves are used as napkins, and may be crushed in the mouth and used as a sponge to dip for water. Rocks or sticks are used in some populations as hammers to open hard-shelled nuts ... The tools used, and the uses to which they are put, vary between communitiesNote: stats.superpower
The page saysa male dominance hierarchy whose alpha may take meat from subordinates and monopolize mating: The source saysRelationships between males are highly dependent upon the dominance hierarchy. The hierarchy is mostly linear, with one top-ranking, or alpha, male ... Alpha males may take meat from subordinates, displace subordinates at food sites, and may be able to monopolize sexual access to femalesNote: stats.superpower
The page saysIn some other populations, chimpanzees crack hard-shelled nuts open with rocks or sticks used as hammers.: The source saysRocks or sticks are used in some populations as hammers to open hard-shelled nuts.
The page saysCommunities That Patrol Their Borders: The source saysmale chimpanzees are almost entirely silent when they are performing a border patrolNote: heading
The page saysThe community splits into small parties that come together from time to time, a pattern behaviorists call a fusion-fission society.: The source sayschimpanzees live in what behaviorists call a fusion-fission society. The entire community splits into small parties, which frequently travel alone. These subgroups come together from time to time.
The page saysMales form coalitions, which in both wild and captive groups may let males dominate a third individual they could not dominate by themselves.: The source saysBoth in wild populations and captive groups, relationships and coalitions between males may allow males who could not dominate a third individual by themselves to do so.
The page saysMales patrol the community's borders, or raid into a neighboring group's range, almost entirely in silence, as if they understand that the mission's success depends on staying covert.: The source saysmale chimpanzees are almost entirely silent when they are performing a border patrol, or when raiding into the home range of a neighboring group. It is as if they understand that the success of their mission depends upon remaining covert
The page saysBetween communities, aggression seems to be the rule: at Gombe and Mahale, larger communities exterminated smaller neighboring ones through brutal attacks between males of the rival groups.: The source saysBetween communities, aggression seems to be the rule. At both Gombe and Mahale, larger communities of chimpanzees exterminated smaller neighboring communities. This was accomplished through brutal attacks between males from the different communities.
The page saysA dominant chimpanzee that has attacked a subordinate often reassures it afterwards.: The source saysReassurance behaviors are often directed from a dominant animal to a subordinate after the former has attacked the latter.
The page saysYes, and the toolkit changes from community to community.: The source saysThe tools used, and the uses to which they are put, vary between communitiesNote: faq 1
The page saysin some populations use rocks or sticks as hammers to crack open hard-shelled nuts: The source saysRocks or sticks are used in some populations as hammers to open hard-shelled nuts.Note: faq 1
The page saysSomething close to it.: The source saysThe behavior shown by chimps in this context resembles that seen in humans between neighboring enemy tribes.Note: faq 3
The page saysMale chimpanzees patrol their community's borders in near silence: The source saysmale chimpanzees are almost entirely silent when they are performing a border patrolNote: faq 3; 'near silence' paraphrases 'almost entirely silent'
The page saysthey aggressively search out members of neighboring communities, often entering the neighboring range to do so: The source saysthey aggressively search out neighboring community members, often entering the range of the neighboring community in order to do so.Note: faq 3
The page saysThe duration and nature of their attacks on neighboring males clearly indicated an intent to do harm, and some males are known to have died from their wounds.: The source saysThe duration and nature of attacks on neighboring males clearly indicated that the intent was to do harm. Some males are known to have died from wounds received in this context.Note: faq 3
The page saysAt Gombe and Mahale, larger communities exterminated smaller neighboring ones through brutal attacks between males from the different communities.: The source saysAt both Gombe and Mahale, larger communities of chimpanzees exterminated smaller neighboring communities. This was accomplished through brutal attacks between males from the different communities.Note: faq 3
The page saysin some populations chimpanzees crack hard-shelled nuts open with rocks or sticks used as hammers: The source saysRocks or sticks are used in some populations as hammers to open hard-shelled nuts.Note: vibe.reason (#692/#693)

Source
03

The Chimpanzee Sequencing and Analysis Consortium 2005

The Chimpanzee Sequencing and Analysis Consortium (2005). Initial sequence of the chimpanzee genome and comparison with the human genome. Nature.

The page saysDNA letters about 1.23% different from a human's, tool kits that vary from community to community, and Machiavellian troop politics.: The source saysSingle-nucleotide substitutions occur at a mean rate of 1.23% between copies of the human and chimpanzee genome, with 1.06% or less corresponding to fixed divergence between the species.Note: tagline; 'DNA letters' is the single-nucleotide rate, not the whole-genome difference (indels add ~1.5% lineage-specific sequence)
The page saysAbout One DNA Letter in a Hundred: The source saysSingle-nucleotide substitutions occur at a mean rate of 1.23% between copies of the human and chimpanzee genome, with 1.06% or less corresponding to fixed divergence between the species.Note: heading; 1.23% mean, 1.06% or less fixed
The page saysLine up a human genome and a chimpanzee genome, and on average 1.23% of the single DNA letters differ: The source saysSingle-nucleotide substitutions occur at a mean rate of 1.23% between copies of the human and chimpanzee genome, with 1.06% or less corresponding to fixed divergence between the species.Note: 'on average' for 'mean rate'; 'at most' for 'or less'; 'differences that separate the two species' for 'divergence between the species'
The page saysAt most 1.06% are fixed differences that separate the two species: The source saysSingle-nucleotide substitutions occur at a mean rate of 1.23% between copies of the human and chimpanzee genome, with 1.06% or less corresponding to fixed divergence between the species.Note: 'on average' for 'mean rate'; 'at most' for 'or less'; 'differences that separate the two species' for 'divergence between the species'
The page saysOrthologous proteins, the matching versions of each protein in the two species, are extremely similar: about 29% are identical, and the typical orthologue differs by only two amino acids, one per lineage.: The source saysOrthologous proteins in human and chimpanzee are extremely similar, with ∼29% being identical and the typical orthologue differing by only two amino acids, one per lineage.Note: 'the matching versions of each protein in the two species' is an inserted explainer
The page saysA Second Kind of Difference Insertions and deletions of DNA are fewer in number than single-letter substitutions, but they leave about 1.5% of the euchromatic sequence in each species lineage-specific, found in that lineage alone.: The source saysInsertion and deletion (indel) events are fewer in number than single-nucleotide substitutions, but result in ∼1.5% of the euchromatic sequence in each species being lineage-specific.Note: blockquote; 'found in that lineage alone' glosses 'lineage-specific'
The page saysLine up the two genomes and on average 1.23% of the single DNA letters differ, and at most 1.06% are fixed differences that separate the two species: The source saysSingle-nucleotide substitutions occur at a mean rate of 1.23% between copies of the human and chimpanzee genome, with 1.06% or less corresponding to fixed divergence between the species.Note: faq 2, same wording as the body
The page saysInsertion and deletion events are fewer in number, but they leave about 1.5% of the euchromatic sequence in each species lineage-specific.: The source saysInsertion and deletion (indel) events are fewer in number than single-nucleotide substitutions, but result in ∼1.5% of the euchromatic sequence in each species being lineage-specific.Note: faq 2
The page saysOrthologous proteins, the matching versions of each protein in the two species, are extremely similar: about 29% are identical, and the typical orthologue differs by only two amino acids, one per lineage.: The source saysOrthologous proteins in human and chimpanzee are extremely similar, with ∼29% being identical and the typical orthologue differing by only two amino acids, one per lineage.Note: faq 2, same sentence as the body's

Source
04

Whiten et al. 1999

Whiten et al. (1999). Cultures in chimpanzees. Nature.

The page saysAn Ape With Local Customs: The source says39 different behaviour patterns, including tool usage, grooming and courtship behaviours, are customary or habitual in some communities but are absent in othersNote: heading
The page saysIn 1999, researchers pooled the seven longest-running chimpanzee field studies: The source saysHere we present a systematic synthesis of this information from the seven most long-term studies ... We find that 39 different behaviour patterns, including tool usage, grooming and courtship behaviours, are customary or habitual in some communities but are absent in others where ecological explanations have been discounted ... This comprehensive analysis reveals patterns of variation that are far more extensive than have previously been documented for any animal species except humans.Note: 1999 is the paper's year; 'longest-running' for 'most long-term', 'ruled out' for 'discounted'
The page saysThey found 39 behaviour patterns, including tool use, grooming and courtship, that are customary or habitual in some communities but absent in others, in cases where they had ruled out the local environment as the explanation: The source saysHere we present a systematic synthesis of this information from the seven most long-term studies ... We find that 39 different behaviour patterns, including tool usage, grooming and courtship behaviours, are customary or habitual in some communities but are absent in others where ecological explanations have been discounted ... This comprehensive analysis reveals patterns of variation that are far more extensive than have previously been documented for any animal species except humans.Note: 1999 is the paper's year; 'longest-running' for 'most long-term', 'ruled out' for 'discounted'
The page saysThat was far more variation than had been documented for any animal species except humans: The source saysHere we present a systematic synthesis of this information from the seven most long-term studies ... We find that 39 different behaviour patterns, including tool usage, grooming and courtship behaviours, are customary or habitual in some communities but are absent in others where ecological explanations have been discounted ... This comprehensive analysis reveals patterns of variation that are far more extensive than have previously been documented for any animal species except humans.Note: 1999 is the paper's year; 'longest-running' for 'most long-term', 'ruled out' for 'discounted'
The page saysA 1999 synthesis of the seven most long-term chimpanzee field studies found 39 separate behaviour patterns, including tool usage, grooming and courtship behaviours, that are customary or habitual in some communities but are absent in others where ecological explanations have been discounted, a pattern the researchers said was far more extensive than had previously been documented for any animal species except humans.: The source saysHere we present a systematic synthesis of this information from the seven most long-term studies ... We find that 39 different behaviour patterns, including tool usage, grooming and courtship behaviours, are customary or habitual in some communities but are absent in others where ecological explanations have been discounted ... This comprehensive analysis reveals patterns of variation that are far more extensive than have previously been documented for any animal species except humans.Note: faq 1, same sentence as the body's

Source
05

Humle et al. 2016

Humle et al. (2016). Pan troglodytes. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T15933A129038584.

The page saysEndangered: The source saysIUCN Red List category: Endangered (EN).Note: stats.conservationStatus
The page saysEndangered status on the IUCN Red List: The source saysIUCN Red List category: Endangered (EN).

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.

Source01