World Chimpanzee Day

Chimpanzees are our closest relatives yet they are endangered species. Chimpanzees are protected by national and international laws, including the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Some of their habitat is protected as sanctuaries or reserves, too. Conservation organizations are working to expand these protected areas, while also pushing for an end to the illegal killing and taking of the animals.As Goodall observed, chimpanzees shape and use sticks to retrieve insects from their nests or dig grubs out of logs. They use stones to smash open tasty nuts and employ leaves as sponges to soak up drinking water. And chimpanzees can even be taught to use some basic human sign language.