Introduction
In the World there are less than 200,000 Chimpanzees left (Banks 40). This is less than a population of a small town. Every day that number decreases because of the ignorance of humans. Deforestation plays a important in chimpanzee extinction. In the Chimpanzee main environment, the tree’s are being cut down for coal. With out there homes, chimpanzees are dying. How would you like to live in a world with out chimpanzees and to live in a world where you have to tell your kids about how the mighty giants ruled the island of Gombe, and when they ask, and you reply “No, they did not live happily ever after”. But we can change this; we can protect the chimpanzees. Because of the study put in by Jane Goodal, there is not excuse to let this breed of remarkable animals be dead like the dinosaurs.
Jane Goodal, the Woman Who Changed the World
With the help of this one woman, Human perspective on Chimpanzees would never be the same. Before humans viewed chimpanzees as harsh creatures that were untamed and blood thirsty (Among the Wild Chimpanzee’s) but after her study we could see the genital giant the chimpanzee really is. Jane Goodall, The Person who spent so much time, studying the great chimpanzee was born in London, England. As a child she was given a life-like monkey toy named Jubilee by her father, although friends believed it would scare her. Today, the toy still sits on her dresser in London. After the divorce of her parents (Goodall was only 12), Jane moved with her mother to Bournemouth, England. Also Jane Goodal loved the Books, Dr. Doolittle and Tarzan, because they inspired her, she wanted to be Jane and the Doctor. (Goodal). Through her Childhood she dreamed to go to Africa, to be with the animals (Among the Wild Chimpanzees). So When Louis Leakey was looking for a UN biased assistant to go to Africa and study the Chimpanzees, Jane Goodal Jumped at the chance. Originally she had some trouble getting into Gombe, The Island in witch she would study the chimpanzee’s. But at first the island inhabiters did not want a white girl out in the wild. But finally the Islander let her come, But only if she brought a companion and an African cook. She decided to bring her mom, Vane Goodal. The Chimpanzees did not trust Jane when she first came to the island, But every day she would wait on a ledge, to gain the chimpanzee’s trust, And over time she would move closer and gain more trust until the point where she was able to sit by a small community of chimpanzee’s to observe there behavior, habit’s and life style. And Because of these Studies, There is No Excuse to let these beings go extinct.
General Chimpanzee Info
Similar to humans, there is a difference in height, weight and size between male and female chimpanzees. Male chimpanzee’s height usually varies from 35-70 kilograms (75- 100 pounds) and stand form 0.9-1.2 meters (3-4 Feet) tall, while females usually weigh 26-50 Kg (57-110 pounds) and stand 0.661 meters (2.0-3.5 Feet) tall (Save the Chimpanzee’s! Speaking out for them). There normal life span is up to 40 years of age, but some, chimpanzee’s have been known to live up to sixty years of age but one chimpanzee once lived up to 75 years. A chimpanzee’s diet cons it’s of almost 200 different plant specie and more than 20 types of insects. One day’s menu can be up to thirteen different items. One study shows that a chimpanzee’s annual diet averages 68% fruit, 28% leaves and shoots, and 4% insects and small prey (Save the Chimpanzee’s! Speaking out for them). Also differences in male and female diets have been noted in relation to meat consumption. Small packs of chimpanzees, almost always entirely male, will occasionally work together in order to hunt small monkeys or other bush meat. Often, an individual will move towards the prey, encouraging it to flee in the direction of a nearby tree in which the remaining members of the hunting pack anxiously wait.
If numbers permit, a chimpanzee may also wait below his comrades on the ground, in order to prevent escape. (http://www.personal.psu.edu/laz131) Chimpanzees live in troops of between 25 and 80, each with a dominant male. The home range of each troop varies from 18 to 21 sq km in the forest and 100 to 200 sq km in savannah, more open country. The territories of different troops often overlap one another within these different habitats.
Chimpanzee Families
Chimpanzees have very strong bonds with in their Family Units. It lives in a family unit even more complex than that of the prairie dog. The chimpanzee family moves as a group through familiar feeding and resting areas. It has also evolved effective ways of defending itself against predators or from belligerent chimpanzees attempting to mate with the family's females. A Chimpanzee will stay with its family unit for its entire life (www.Janegoodall.org). More Specifically, Chimpanzees, very much like Humans have very strong connection with their mother’s. So strong that A chimpanzee is with (will follow to be with) his or hers mother for its entire life (Among the Wild Chimpanzee’s). Another big part of a Chimpanzee’s Life is teaching the young, Important Life Skill’s.
The Learning Process
Chimpanzee’s, like human’s pass down skills from generation to generation. A younger chimpanzee will watch a older chimpanzee doing every day task’s, such as Eating termites from a stick, retrieving water from an empty tree or just making a bed out of leafs. The young chimpanzee, will then try to imitate the older chimpanzee. At first the young chimpanzee might not be successful, but he or she will continue to try and eventually they will master the skill. For Example once Flint, One of Flo’s son, saw Fifi, Flints older sister, using a stick to retrieve termites from there nest. Well then Flint started trying to pick up termites with his hands (Among the Wild Chimpanzee’s).
Tools and Intelligence
Chimpanzees, like humans, demonstrate a high level of intelligence to solve problems and get what they need. For a long time, Scientists thought that humans were the only species that was smart enough to use and create tools, but Jane Goodal discovered that chimpanzee’s have the ability to use tool and to make them also. There are many tools that chimpanzee’s use but the, most common are, using stick to fish termite out of their nest in the ground. Using Leafs and Chewed Leafs as a sponge to get water that may be trapped in a hollowed tree. And they use, a Stick as a weapon to intimidate the baboons. Chimpanzees have these skills because they are passed down from generation to generation, When a chimpanzee is born they have a natural curiosity, and when they see older chimpanzee’s doing this they try to mimic the older chimpanzees actions and eventually master the skill (My Life with the wild chimpanzee’s). In a “Pack” of Chimpanzee’s, Status plays a very important role. When you are the Alpha Male in a Pack of Chimpanzees, you are the one who get to mate first (Chimpanzee Facts: Life Cycle). To become Alpha male, you must show Domaince over the other males in the group. To do this, some Chimpanzee’s will fight (Among the Wild Chimpanzee’s), But If you are like Mike, You can become an Alpha Male. By pure Intelligence, Mike the Chimpanzee found, two pots at Jane Goodal’s Camp, and he figured out, if he bangs the two pots together, he frightens all the other chimpanzees, and Mike soon became the Alpha Male.
Chimpanzee Communication
Chimpanzees have several forms of communication among each other. Chimpanzees have six basic facial features. When a chimpanzee is born he or she is able to understand the six facial expressions and the young chimp is able to “perform” these expressions. A chimpanzee also communicates through a series of Hoots, Calls and Vocalization. Similar to humans each call is unique to that particular chimpanzee Similar to the way a human's voice is distinctively his own. There are 30 different calls used by chimpanzees. The calls can range from a “Wraa” for fear or crying for rage or distress (www.janegoodal.org). Also a call can be heard two miles away. Another way of communication among Chimpanzees is gestures and body language. Body Language is a way of communicating because it lets you know how the other Chimpanzee feels. Also similar to how a Dog will have his tail wagging in the air to show happiness and Cats express affection by blinking their eyes slowly and a parrot will be Wing flapping, or flying in place, is used as exercise, to get your attention, or just display happiness. Friendly physical contact is crucial in maintaining good relationships among chimpanzees. For this reason, social grooming is probably the most important social behavior, serving to sustain or improve friendships within the community and to calm nervous or tense individuals (www.janegoodal.org). Again similar to humans a chimpanzee can communicate through physical contact. Some of the movements made by chimps are hugs for making up (My life with the Wild Chimpanzees) and a Male chimpanzee proclaim their dominance with spectacular charging displays during which they slap their hands, stamping their feet, dragging branches as they run, or hurl rocks. In doing so, they make themselves look as big and dangerous as they possibly can, and indeed may eventually intimidate a higher-ranking individual without having to fight (www.janegoodal.org). When in Captivity a chimpanzee is able to learn sighn language. And once they are taught they are able to sighn and be too sighned to. And one final fact is that a chimpanzee is Able to teach another chimpanzee or human (Hurt go Happy) to sighn.
The Life-Cycle
A chimpanzee’s life begins when his mother becomes pregnant. Chimpanzee Mothers become pregnant every five years. When a child is born they are in their infantry stage. As an infant your world revolves around your mother, a newborn chimpanzee depends on his mom for food, warmth, protection and love. Also a newborn is the “talk” of the chimpanzee community. Every body has interest in the newborn chimpanzee. At six months old, a young chimpanzee starts to ride on their mothers back and her or his mother is there first playmate. At eight months a Chimpanzee will begin to wonder around their surroundings. At five years a chimpanzee will be wheemed, but still sleeps with his mother until a newborn brother or sister evicts him. Ages 5 – 13 are the period of adolescence. At ages 10 – 15 is when chimpanzees are considered adults. And finally in old age there fur will turn grey, slowdown and eventually die (Chimpanzee Facts: Lifecycle). An important part of a chimpanzee’s life is the period of time in witch is called Adolescence. Adolescence is the time when you are becoming an adult and learning how to be an adult. The Dictionary Definition for Adolescence is
1: the state or process of growing up
2: the period of life from puberty to maturity terminating legally at the age of majority
3: a stage of development (as of a language or culture) prior to maturity (Merriam Webster’s). You need to have three factors to become an adult; these three factors are learned during adolescence. So the three factors are, Being Physically Fit and Emotionally Fit. To be Physically Fit means that you are able to take care of yourself means that you are able to take care of yourself in the manner of feeding your self, bathing your self and being able to bring you’re self to do neasacay chores. To be Emotionally Fit means you are able to stay by yourself and be away from your Mom and Dad, brothers and sisters or grandparents. The Reason it is so important for a chimpanzee to grow up is, with out going through adolescence will ruin the chimpanzee’s life. Take Flint for Example. Flo was a great mother but, when it was time for flint to be wheemed, he refused. And slowly he started to deteriorate in his independence. He would always try to suckle; he would climb on his mother’s back so he could be carried and other childish behavior. And things got much worse when Flo had her Third Child, Flame. And when Flo fell ill, Flame disappeared. This troubled Flo greatly, so much so that she stopped trying to encourage his independence and treated Flint just like a baby. Well one day, while Flo was walking her heart gave out and she died in a stream. This news-rocked Flint’s world, soon he fell ill and died a few days after his mother’s death (Among the Wild Chimpanzees).
Humans and Chimpanzees, Practically the Same
Humans and Chimpanzees have many similarities. The number is vary unsettling, witch raises the question, Why not protect theme? Humans and Chimpanzee’s share 98% (Among the Wild Chimpanzees) of DNA. This is evident because unlike other creature’s Chimpanzee’s have thumbs similar to human’s. Both species use their thumbs for holding tools and items. Also another similarity we have with chimpanzees is our strong relationships with our mothers. When we are born we almost immediately bond with our mothers. And another similarity is the fact that both human and chimpanzee volasation’s are unique to that particular person. Also Chimpanzees have the ability to create and use tools for there thinking, just like humans (Among the wild chimpanzees). Also Humans have the ability to take hold of there life, and do anything they want to do with it, unlike Chimpanzee’s who have a much kept life style. So as you can see, Chimpanzee’s and Humans, maybe different, but still are the same.
Why should we protect them?
Chimpanzees are dying, and they are Dying Fast. And it’s Our Fault. But we can change this; chimpanzees should not go extinct. One Reason they should not go extinct is the fact that, they share 98* (Among the Wild Chimpanzees). They are practically human’s, Killing them is a type Genocide, And taking out one race can greatly change the environment, take mice for example, Lets Take Mice out of the food chain. All of a sudden you get less coyote because they used mice for a lot of there food, Same thing with the Hawks, Your taking away some of its food! Well with the Coyotes diminishing the rabbit population would increase and there would be even less grass! Fewer hawks mean more smaller bird witch means fewer insects. With fewer insects and less grass, a small birds diet, the bird’s population starts to go down and so does the hawk population, but farther so! The grass is Buffalo and Deer food and now its running out also, And with out the grass that holds the soil together, the soil starts to erode, resulting in the conquence of the land being all messed up! A second reason is if you believe in God, it says in the bible, he created chimpanzees for us to take car of, not destroy. And a third reason is the fact that there centiant. They can talk, they can think, they can create. There Centient. No centient being should be treated this way. Some will ask Why should we there just a filthy animal! However that filthy animal your describing shares 98% (Among the Wild Chimpanzees) of our D.N.A . They are essentially the same as humans. Well others may argue “Yes well even though they share are D.N.A its not like there smart or intelligent. However this species has a brain capacity that is extremely high for most animals witch means that they do have the ability to communicate through vocalization, the ability to make tools, very similar to humans.
The Last Thoughts
We are Killing Chimpanzee’s. There is no doubt about it. You may think it is a lost cause, but it is not, We can save the Chimpanzee’s. Let’s give Congo a alternate fuel source, If we do that, It will greatly help the chimpanzee’s. We need to save them because They play an important role in the world. Are we about to lose another species, Because of human ignorance! Jane Goodal, says that the way a chimpanzee’s brain is set up, its startling similar to the brain of human. Chimpanzees are our closest relative, let us not commit genocide.
Works Cited
Among the wild chimpanzees. Perf, Jane Goodall.
Video Cassette. National Geographic Society. Warner Home Video, 1984
“Chimpanzee Facts: Life Cycle [sic]” “Save the Chimps, speaking out for them.”
8 Dec. 2007. http://www.savethechimps.org. 11 Dec. 2007.
http://www.savethechimps.org/chimps_fact_life cycle.asp
Goodall, Jane. My Life with the Wild Chimpanzee’s, New York: Pocket books, 1988
Banks, Martin. Chimpanzee. Austin TX: Rain Tree Steck-Vaghn Publisher 2000
Unknown, . "Chimpanzee." Fact Sheet. 1 Young Peoples Trust for the
Environment . 7 Feb. 2007
<http://www.ypte.org.uk/docs/factsheets/animal_facts/chimpanzee.html>.
Ellwood, Ann. Chimpanzee’s. USA: Wild Life Education. Ldt. 1997
Unknown, Jane Goodal Institute. 7 Feb. 2007 <http://www.janegoodall.org/>.
Goodall Jane. The Chimpanzee’s I Love. Byron press Visual publication Inc. Broadway
NY: 2001
Rorby, Ginny. Hurt go Happy. New York: Star Scape, 2006
Various, Publishers. "Adolescence." Merriam Webster’s. 31 Nov. 2007
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/>.
Laz131. General Charistics. 1 Jan. 9 Feb. 2008
<http://www.personal.psu.edu/laz131/general_characteristics.htm>.
Chimpanzee Report Outline
1. Hook & Thesis
A. Introduce and Engage the Reader
B. Chimpanzees are Essentially the Same
2. Jane Goodal
A. Her study of Chimpanzee’s
B. How Study Changed Human Perspective
C. Her Love/Calling For Africa
D. Goes to Africa
E. Study Leaves No Excuse for Extinction
3. General Info.
A. Basic Info, Weight, Height and Size
B. B. Habitat, Range, Diet
C. Life Style
4. Family
A. Strong Family Bonds
B. Mother/ Child Relation Ships
C. Teaching the Young Skills
5. Learning Process
A. Observe, Watch, Imitate
B. Mastering the Skills
6. Tools and Intelligence
A. Tools
B. Hunting, Cooperation
C. Status, Manipulation
7. Communication
A. Vocal
B. Facial
C. Posture
D. Physical
E. In Captivity (ASL)
8. Life Cycle
A. Basic
B. Adolescence
C. Anecdotal Evidence
9. Humans and Chimpanzees
A. More Similarity’s, Less Differences
B. D.N.A Practilly the Same
10. Argument
A. Problem, Hook and Blame
B. Position and Thesis
C. One Reason
D. Second Reason
E. Third Reason
F. Counter Argument
G. Refutation
H. Conclusion
