Chimpanzees are typically 1 to 1.7 m tall and weigh 40 to 50 kg. They have light-coloured, black, or blotchy skin, and large protruding ears. Partly because of their intelligence, these animals have been used extensively for scientific research. In 1961, the chimp Ham orbited the earth in a rocket, preceding human astronauts. The demand for live chimpanzees for zoos and research has led to a significant decline in their population.
Chimpanzees eat plants, ants, termites, and occasionally meat.
They live and travel in small groups, communicating and expressing their moods with a variety of hoots, grunts, roars, and screams. They apparently delight in their own sounds. Chimpanzees have also demonstrated the ability to use and make tools, share and cooperate for the common good, express complex emotions and communicate using sign language.