Carol Harrison - Apes

They run and wrestle. Theyre very curious. And they love to play just like you!

Theyre Apes!

Five Kinds of Apes

orangutan

chimpanzee

bonobo

gibbon

gorilla

rock nutcracker

leaf sponge

Monkeys have tails, apes dont!

Amazing Apes

Apes are mammals they are warm - blooded, have hair on their bodies, and the moms produce milk for their babies. Apes are called primates because they have a thumb that can press against the tips of their other fingers. This allows them to grasp and handle objects firmly.

Besides humans, apes are the smartest primates. They can learn to make and use simple tools to help get food or water.

termite stick

Gorillas

Gorillas are the largest and fiercest - looking apes, but they are gentle animals that rarely fight. A male gorilla only beats his chest to make a drumming sound that warns other gorillas to stay away from his troop!

Gorillas are herbivores , which means they mostly eat plants. An adult mountain gorilla may eat up to pounds (20 kg) of plants a day about as much as thirty heads of lettuce!

Facts

Homeland

Forests of eastern and central Africa

Average weight

Female - pounds (71-98 kg)

Male - pounds (159-175 kg)

Fact

There are three different kinds of gorilla: the smaller western lowland gorilla, the eastern lowland gorilla, and the mountain gorilla.

Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees live in large troops with fifty or more chimps of all ages. Individuals groom each others fur to rake out dirt and insects. Grooming helps keep chimps clean, but more importantly it can show love for a friend or respect for a leader.

Chimpanzees usually travel on the ground. Like most apes, they have pads on their knuckles because they walk on all fours. Apes occasionally walk on two legs like people!

Facts

A male chimp can become a troop leader by screaming, waving branches, and charging until the other males back down!

Homeland

Rainforests and dry grasslands of western to eastern Africa

Average weight

Female - pounds (32-45 kg)

Male - pounds (40 - 60 kg)

Fact

Chimpanzees are frugivorous. That means they mostly eat fruit. They also eat leaves, honey, insects, and sometimes small animals.

Bonobos

Bonobos are very affectionate with each other. They often kiss and hug, and seldom fight. Bonobos can make many different sounds, and the members of a bonobo troop talk to each other a lot, especially when looking for food.

Bonobo troops spend the day searching for food. They like to eat fruit and plants.

When bonobo males meet, they sometimes take turns making noises and repeating each others sounds for several minutes. This is their way of getting to know a stranger or communicating with a member of their troop.

Facts

Homeland

Central African rainforest

Average weight

Female pounds (32 kg)

Male pounds (39 kg)

Fact

All bonobos have the same hairdo. Their black hair is parted naturally in the middle!

Orangutans

Orangutans spend most of their lives in trees. They are the slowest - moving apes. Big males sometimes have to travel on the ground because the tree branches cant support them!

Like most apes, they are frugivorous. Unlike the other apes, orangutans dont form groups. A mother travels with her baby, but otherwise orangutans live alone. Because they are alone and slow, smaller orangutans must watch out for clouded leopards that hunt high in the trees at night.

Facts

Homeland

Tropical forests of southeast Asia

Average Weight

Female - pounds (33-45 kg)

Male - pounds (80-91 kg)

Fact

Orangutan is a Malaysian word that means person of the forest.

Gibbons

Gibbons spend nearly all their time in the treetops, swinging by their arms from branch to branch. This is called brachiation , and gibbons are the only apes that travel this way. They can swing through the treetops at miles per hour (65 kmh).

Gibbons are the only apes that mate for life. They travel with their young in small family groups in search of fruit.

Facts

Homeland

Tropical forests of southeast Asia

Average weight

Female - pounds (4.5-8.5 kg)

Male - pounds (5-10 kg)

Fact

Gibbons are called lesser apes. They are smaller than all the other kinds of apes which are known as great apes.

Ape Families

The leader of a chimp troop is often the loudest, rowdiest male. Bonobos are the only apes in which the females may share the responsibility of leading the troop!

Gorillas, chimps, and bonobos live in large groups. Gorilla troops usually follow the biggest, strongest male.