Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee

The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) is a subspecies of the common chimpanzee which inhabits the rainforest along the border of Nigeria and Cameroon. Male Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees can weigh up to 70 kilos with a body length of up to 1.2 metres and a height of 1.3 metres. Females are significantly smaller. Like the nominate subspecies, the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee has been classified as Endangered by the IUCN, indicating a high risk of extinction in the near future.

Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Hominidae
Subfamily: Homininae
Tribe: Hominini
Genus: Pan
Species:
P. troglodytes
Subspecies:
P. t. ellioti
Trinomial name
Pan troglodytes ellioti
(Matschie,1914)[1]
Synonyms

Pan troglodytes vellerosus

History

The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee has been classified as the fourth subspecies of chimpanzee since 1997 and is the least studied of these subspecies. Its populations are falling across its limited natural range, with between 3500 and 9000 individuals remaining.[2]

Description

Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees weigh around 80 kg for adult males in captivity and 65 kg for adult females in captivity. They stand about 1–1.7 m tall when erect.[3]

Subpopulations

The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee is found in:[1]

During a 2006 survey in southwestern Nigeria, the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee was found in Idanre Forest Reserve, Ifon Forest Reserve, Oluwa Forest Reserve, Omo Forest Reserve, Ise Forest Reserve, Ologbo Forest Reserve, and Okomu National Park.[5] Chimpanzees were found in Ondo State, Ekiti State, Edo State, and Ogun State. Later surveys also confirmed that chimpanzees are also present in Akure-Ofosu Forest Reserve.[6] This population is on the verge of extinction due to habitat loss, disease, and human activities like hunting.[7] The genetic affiliations of this population are also unclear.

A June 2008 report said the Edumanom Forest Reserve was the last known site for chimpanzees in the Niger Delta.[8]

Habitat

The subspecies inhabits tropical rain forests and montane forests at elevations of up to 2,750 m (9,020 ft) above sea level. There are also populations that primarily inhabit savanna habitats.[3]

Lifespan

Individuals can live for 40 to 60 years.[3]

Status and conservation

The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee is recognised as the most threatened and least widely distributed of all the common chimpanzee subspecies, facing a high likelihood of extinction in the coming decades.[9]

References
  1. Oates, J.F.; Doumbe, O.; Dunn, A.; Gonder, M.K.; Ikemeh, R.; Imong, I.; Morgan, B.J.; Ogunjemite, B.; Sommer, V. (2016). "Pan troglodytes ssp. ellioti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T40014A17990330. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T40014A17990330.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Kamgang, Serge Alexis; Bobo, Kadiri Serge; Maisels, Fiona; Ambahe, Ruffin Dupleix Delarue; Ambassa Ongono, Désiré Edgar; Gonder, Mary Katherine; Johnson, Paul; Marino, Jorgelina; Sinsin, Brice (2018-10-01). "The relationship between the abundance of the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) and its habitat: a conservation concern in Mbam-Djerem National Park, Cameroon". BMC Ecology. 18 (1): 40. doi:10.1186/s12898-018-0199-3. ISSN 1472-6785. PMC 6167774. PMID 30285707.
  3. "Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee - Profile | Traits | Facts | Habitat". Primates Park. 2021-03-30. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  4. "Brief history".
  5. Greengrass, E. J. (2006). "A survey of chimpanzees in South-West Nigeria". NCF-WCS Biodiversity Research Programme.
  6. Ikemeh, R. A. (2013). "Population survey of Nigerian-Cameroon chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Southwestern Nigerian Priority Sites: Idanre Forest Cluster and Ise Forest Reserve". African Primates. 8: 39–50.
  7. Research Gate (25 March 2022). "Human Activity and Forest Degradation Threaten Populations of the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee". www.wcs.org. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  8. "Nigeria biodiversity and tropical forestry assessment" (PDF). USAID. June 2008. p. 76. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  9. "Chimpanzee conservation - cameroon". africanconservation.org. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
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