The Chimpanzees I Love:
Saving Their World and Ours
By Jane Goodall
Genre: Expository Nonfiction
The Mind of the Chimpanzee
•
They can do many things that humans
can
• They can use stems, twigs, & sticks to
fish or catch insects.
• They can clean themselves with leaves
• Excellent memories (Just like you!)
•
Infant chimps learn their behavior by watching adults
•
They imitate & practice what they have seen within
their culture
Chimpanzees in Captivity
Scientists have tested the minds of
chimpanzees.
• They can find sticks to pull in food that
is placed outside their cages
• They can join 2 sticks together to make
1 long tool
• They can recognize their caretakers
after some time
• They can plan what they are going to do
Communication
• Two sets of scientists, the Hayeses & the Gardners worked with
chimpanzees on different forms of communication
• Can be taught how to say a
few words after some time
• Taught how to do sign
language….
• Can learn 300 signs or
more!
Chimpanzees in Captivity
• Chimpanzees were 1st brought to Europe from Africa in the
middle of the 17th century
• People were amazed at their humanlike creatures
** They were often used in different forms of
entertainment
* performed in movies, circuses & advertisements
* sometimes treated badly in captive
situations
Well known Chimpanzees
• J. Fred Muggs – starred on the Today show for years, but
he was replaced with another younger, stronger one
eventually
* Ham - was sent into space on a Mercury rocket in
January 1961 & after that trip, it was determined that it
was safe for humans to travel into space
Behavior of chimpanzees
• When they are younger, chimpanzees are gentle & easy to handle
• As they grow older, they can become more & more difficult
• They can resent discipline and even bite
• By the time they are six years old, they are already as strong as a
human male!
• Some people have tried to keep them as pets, but often it doesn’t
work out.
Chimpanzees are often
used in medical research
• Since their bodies are so similar
to ours, scientists use chimps to
find out more about human
diseases, cures & prevention
JoJo
• Was an example of a
chimp living in an bad
environment
• Some chimps have:
* little physical contact
* drab surroundings
* very little contact
with other animals
Is life getting better for chimps?
• Animal welfare groups are trying to raise money to build sanctuaries
for them and improve the lives of chimpanzees
• Many zoos are creating better environments for them, including
stimulating, different things for them to do each day
• Many zoos are creating challenging activities and making sure
the chimpanzees are getting the physical contact they need
Protecting the Chimpanzees
Chimps live in the forested areas of west & central Africa.
There is a lot of water in this area, which the Chimps depend on.
• They are facing extinction! (already extinct in 4 countries)
• 100 years ago, it is estimated that there were about 2 million
chimpanzees in Africa.
• Now, there are no more than 150,000.

Why are they disappearing?
1. Forests are being destroyed as human populations grow
2. They are getting caught in snares (traps)
3. Some are getting smuggled in live animal trade
4. Commercial hunting for food (“bushmeat” trade)
bushmeat trade is when people prefer the taste from
wild animals & will pay more for it. (MUST BE STOPPED)
Other problems facing chimps
• Poor people need land for
farms, so they burn down
the forests
• Animals are trapped
because the people
need food
• Bushmeat trade has a
very profitable business
Chimpanzee Facts
•
Full grown male at Gombe is about 4 feet
tall and up to 115 pounds
•
Full grown female is about same height,
but no more than 85 pounds
•
In west & central Africa, they are little
bigger & heavier
•
In captivity, they tend to be heavier &
also live no longer than 50 years in the
wild, up to about 60 in captivity
Female chimps in the wild will raise generally two – nine
offspring!!!
Chimpanzee Habitats
• Found in 21 African countries,
including: Uganda, Rwanda,
Burundi & Tanzania
• Live in the largest parts of
rainforests along the equator
• The Gombe Stream Research
Center is located on the
eastern shore of
Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania
?’s to Consider…..
1. What is the main purpose of the map on p.447?
2. What do the photographs in the story help us to
understand?
3. Is the story biased or balanced writing? Why do you
think so?
4. Do you think the author is qualified to write about
chimpanzees? Why?
Jane Goodall is dedicated
to improving the lives
of chimps
The
End