Help Protect Wild Chimpanzees

On the morning of October 8, 2012, Gombe field assistants saw Tanga with a new baby.  They tried to alert others researchers in the field who were closer to Tanga, but before any of them could get a good look at the newborn, Sparrow tried to take Tanga’s infant with help from Sheldon, Sparrow’s son....

  We'd like to announce a new addition to Gombe! Glitter gave birth to a baby on May 30, 2012.  Glitter has been quite elusive with her new baby, hiding with her newborn and avoiding encounters with other chimps, particularly her mother, Gremlin.  It normally takes time before a female chimpanzee fully...

  Chimpanzees live in a fission-fusion society whereby members of a community can freely join or leave a group at any time. Food normally dictates whether individuals join or avoid a group. When availability of food is low, chimpanzees, especially females with their dependents, tend to avoid groups. For the past...

During termite fishing season at Gombe National Park, chimpanzees spend a considerable amount of time searching for and extracting small, nutritious termites from their mounds. However, due to the insect’s small size, termite fishing requires a great deal of patience and hard work. One day, Gremlin and her...

Mpapa trees grow in the valleys and lower slopes of Gombe National Park in Tanzania. The trees are tall, up to 70 feet high, and typically possess one straight trunk. The fruiting season usually takes place between late March and the end of April. During a good year, mpapa is one of the most important chimpanzee...

Bill Wallauer, JGI wildlife cameraman and research videographer, discusses lamb’s tail, one of his favorite plants found in Gombe National Park. Favorite Chimp FoodLatin Name:  Antidesma venosum Local Name:  Mnziganziga Common Name:  Lamb’s Tail, Tassleberry Lamb’s tail (a name used by Dr....

In a recent blog update, Dr. Deus Mjungu, Gombe Stream Research Center’s director of chimpanzee research, wrote of observing the interaction between Gombe National Park’s twin sisters, Golden and Glitter. Dr. Mjungu also hinted about some potentially exciting news—fingers crossed! It is the end of an...