Look into the intelligent, warm brown eyes of a chimpanzee and you may see yourself not far below the surface, for you are looking at your closest animal relative. The chimpanzee is classified among the great apes, with the gorilla, orang-utan, and bonobo (pygmy chimpanzee). All are large, big-brained and tail-less, and an impartial observer from another planet would probably include us in the same group, perhaps in the same genus as the chimpanzee, with whom we share over 95% of our genes.

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Chimpanzees are covered in long black hair except for their faces, ears, fingers and toes. A baby chimp is born with light pink skin and a white"tail-tuft" of hair that signals immaturity. As it matures, its skin darkens, usually becoming deep brown or black, and the white tuft disappears at about 8-9 years. Young adults have sleek, glossy, very black coats. After about 20-25 years, males in particular tend to become brown or grey on the lower back and legs, and either sex may develop baldness or grey hair on the crown of the head. Many chimps live to be 30 or more, the oldest chimp known at Gombe so far was a female named Flo, who was at least 43 when she died.

	Recognizing Chimpanzees People who study chimpanzees can recognize them by their faces, their voices, the shape of their body and the way they move. Each chimp is just as unique in appearance and personally as you are. When you meet a group of chimps, study their faces and see if you can distinguish each one. Your guide should be able to tell you who they are. For easy reference each chimp has been given a name, but of course they do not know or respond to these names.

Special Thanks to Thomson Safaris and Tanzania National Parks for contributing Tanzanian information.

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