ed_l1@verifone.com (06/20/91)
In article <1991Jun17.170043.4902@ssd.kodak.com>, bredy@alkp.serum.kodak.com (Dan Bredy (x37360)) writes: > I have a question about chimpanzees. I understand that they are an endangered > species. Does anyone know why? Also does chimpanzee == ape? How large do full-grown > chimpanzees get (weight and height please)? Also, since they are endangered are > they used in animal research? > > Dan Yes, chimpanzees are apes, and our closest living animal relative. They are endangered for several reasons, one being that we are rapidly encroaching on their habitats, two, in some places they are hunted. Now I'm a cultural anthropologist, so don't take these measurements as fact, but approximations. If there is a physical anthropologist out there (or someone with a text reference) please correct me. Chimps max out around 4 feet high, and up to about 150 pounds more or less. A full-grown male chimp is about seven times stronger (however the heck they measured that one) than the average male human. They are quite bright, relatively speaking. Chimps have been taught to communicate with symbolic language, and have been observed teaching that to other chimps. From what I am told, the chimps that are used in research are bred in captivity, which somehow justifies the research. I don't like it, but I recognize that it has validity (researching on chimps). -- *************************************************************************** * Ed L'Esperance - P.O. Box 4635, Kane`ohe, Hawai`i 96744 U.S.A. * * Anthropologist, Writer, Editor - Ka`onohi`ula`okahokumiomio`ehiku * * UUCP%"Ed_L1@VeriFone.Com" * * "As the sun warms the body, so acceptance is the sunlight of the soul." * ***************************************************************************