Endangered Species: The chimpanzee

Transcription

1 Endangered Species: The chimpanzee By Gale, Cengage Learning, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 848 Level MAX Image 1. Three chimpanzees sit in a tree in the African country of Uganda. Human's closest relatives, chimps are very social animals. They live in groups of up to 60 chimps. Photo from: USAID Africa Bureau. Chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans are all considered great apes. Of the three, chimpanzees are the most closely related to humans. Chimpanzees and humans share 98 percent of the same genetic makeup. In addition, the two groups share many social and psychological traits. Researchers have documented chimpanzees making and using tools, expressing complex emotions, forming bonds and friendships and communicating using sign language. An average chimpanzee stands 5 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds. Because its arms are longer than its legs, a chimpanzee walks on the ground using the soles of its feet and the knuckles of its hands. Most of its body is covered with long, black hair. A chimpanzee's hairless face can range in color from almost white to almost black. The hair around a chimpanzee's face grays with age. Older chimpanzees often become bald. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 1

2 Chimpanzees are highly social mammals. They live in communities made up of 30 to 60 members. During the day, the animals often travel on the ground. At night, they stay in nests they build in treetops. A chimpanzee's diet consists mainly of fruit, but they also eat insects, leaves, flowers, bark, seeds, tree resin, eggs and meat. At times, chimpanzees band together to hunt animals, such as antelope and monkeys. Mating between male and female chimpanzees takes place anytime during the year. Unlike many other animal species, female chimpanzees do not have to mate with the dominant male in their group. Instead, females often mate with males of their choosing. After a gestation period of 230 to 240 days, a female chimpanzee gives birth to a single infant. During the course of her life, an average female chimpanzee will give birth to fewer than five infants. Bonds between mothers and infants are very strong. Some last a lifetime. Habitat A few centuries ago, several million chimpanzees existed in the equatorial regions of Africa. They inhabited a range of ecosystems, from dense forests to open savannas. Present-day estimates vary, but it is thought that there are fewer than 300,000 chimpanzees in the wild. They can be found across a wide area of central Africa near the equator. This area extends over 25 countries. Chimpanzees are most likely extinct, however, in four of the countries in that range. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 2

3 Thousands of chimpanzees exist in captivity worldwide, 2,000 in the United States alone. Many are used as subjects in medical research. Others are zoo exhibits, entertainment props or pets. In 2015 the U.S. government designated all chimpanzees as endangered. This ended a longstanding legal distinction between wild and captive chimpanzees. This means that all captive chimpanzees in the United States are covered by the same protections that limit the selling and buying of wild chimpanzees under the Endangered Species Act. But the endangered designation does not affect the use of chimpanzees as pets or in the entertainment industry. History And Conservation Habitat destruction, disease and expanding human populations have led to the decline in the number of chimpanzees. Mining has destroyed the chimpanzee habitat in the diamond districts of Sierra Leone and the iron districts of Liberia. The cutting of forests for timber has destroyed the animals' habitat in Uganda. And the conversion of forests into agricultural land has threatened chimpanzees in Rwanda and Burundi. Certain laws prohibit the hunting and sale of chimpanzees. These laws are not always enforced, though. Many chimpanzees are killed for their meat. Others are caught and traded illegally. For each chimpanzee successfully shipped overseas, 10 die during transport as a result of mistreatment and malnutrition. Two sanctuaries exist in Gambia and Zambia for orphaned chimpanzees and those seized from illegal traders. Most African nations have passed laws and have set aside areas to protect chimpanzees. As human populations in Africa continue to grow, however, many of these reserves may be used to fill human needs. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 3

4 In 2003 a group of scientists and conservationists called for a downgrade in the status of chimpanzees. They wanted to change chimps' status from endangered to critically endangered. Data coming from Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where most of the world's chimpanzees live, revealed that the ape population there had decreased by half between 1983 and There were two main reasons for the decline. The first was continued hunting. The second was outbreaks among chimpanzees and gorillas of the Ebola virus. This very deadly and contagious virus was discovered in Africa during the 1970s and afflicts humans as well. The group of scientists warned that chimpanzees and gorillas are in greater jeopardy of extinction than had been formerly realized. They called for greater enforcement of laws against hunting and capturing chimpanzees. They also demanded an increased focus on research on the Ebola virus in primates. In 2015 scientists at Plymouth University in the United Kingdom announced that they had successfully created an Ebola vaccine for chimpanzees and other primates. This is good news for wild chimpanzee populations. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 4

5 Quiz 1 Which statement is a MAIN idea of the article? Mining in Sierra Leone and parts of Liberia has destroyed the chimpanzee's habitat. Many chimpanzees are held in captivity and are used for entertainment. Chimpanzees live in communities made up of 30 to 60 members. Loss of land and disease are threatening chimpanzees in central Africa. 2 Which selection from the article would be MOST important to include in a summary of the article? Chimpanzees and humans share 98 percent of the same genetic makeup. An average chimpanzee stands 5 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds. A few centuries ago, several million chimpanzees existed in the equatorial regions of Africa. Habitat destruction, disease and expanding human populations have led to the decline in the number of chimpanzees. 3 Which sentence from the article is BEST illustrated by Image 3 in the section "History And Conservation"? An average chimpanzee stands 5 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds. Mating between male and female chimpanzees takes place anytime during the year. Bonds between mothers and infants are very strong. The cutting of forests for timber has destroyed the animals' habitat in Uganda. 4 How do the chart and information in the introduction [paragraphs 1-4] develop a coherent understanding of a chimpanzee's characteristics? Both highlight the main features of a chimpanzee. Both explain the various reasons for chimpanzee endangerment. Both demonstrate the need for protection of chimpanzees in captivity. Both describe the bond chimpanzees have with their children. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 5