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Facts about Chimpanzees

Human and chimp DNA is so similar because the two species are so closely related. Humans, chimps and bonobos descended from a single ancestor species that lived six or seven million years ago. As humans and chimps gradually evolved from a common ancestor, their DNA, passed from generation to generation, changed too.

Chimpanzee Social Groups. The chimpanzees of Gombe live in a large social group called a community. At Gombe, a community may consist of about 50 chimpanzees of which 6 to 8 are adult males and usually twice as many adult females (12 to 16).

Along with bonobos, chimpanzees are our closest living relatives. We share approximately 98% of our DNA with chimps, so it's fair to say that we are 98% chimpanzee, and chimps are 98% human. Chimpanzees are an endangered species. ... The primary threats to chimpanzees are habitat destruction, hunting, and disease.

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