Simpanssien

Simpanssien, the Finnish genitive plural of simpanssi (chimpanzee), refers to chimpanzees as a group. Chimpanzees are great apes native to sub-Saharan Africa and belong to the genus Pan, with two extant species: Pan troglodytes (the common chimpanzee) and Pan paniscus (the bonobo). The two species diverged roughly one to two million years ago and inhabit a variety of habitats, including tropical forests, woodlands, and savannas.

Chimpanzees are omnivorous and social animals. Their diet comprises fruit, leaves, seeds, insects, and occasionally meat obtained through coordinated hunting. They are renowned for tool use, including stone percussion to crack nuts and the use of sticks to extract termites or to fish for other invertebrates. Social life is complex, with strong social bonds formed through grooming, alliance-building, and communication. Territorial and political behaviors can emerge, and cultural variation in tool use and foraging methods has been observed between communities.

Reproduction is gradual: females give birth to a single infant after a gestation of about 230 days. Infants depend on their mothers for several years and reach sexual maturity around eight to twelve years old. In the wild, chimpanzees live in fission-fusion societies in which group composition changes over time, with adults forming long-term bonds that influence access to resources and mates.

Conservation status: both Pan troglodytes and Pan paniscus are listed as endangered by the IUCN. Major threats include habitat loss, hunting, and disease, as well as the bushmeat trade. Protective measures emphasize habitat protection, anti-poaching efforts, and community-based conservation programs. Humans share about 98 to 99 percent of their DNA with chimpanzees, underscoring their close evolutionary relationship.