Genus Pan | Phylum Chordata Scientific name Pan troglodytes ellioti Rank Subspecies | |
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Similar Chimpanzee, Common chimpanzee, Primate, Central chimpanzee, Ape | ||
The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) is a subspecies of the common chimpanzee which inhabits the rainforests along the border of Nigeria and Cameroon. Male Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees can weigh as much as 70 kilos with a body length of up to 1.2 metres and a height of 1.6 metres. Females are significantly smaller.
The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee is recognised as the most threatened and least distributed of all the common chimpanzee subspecies, and without a dramatic change to human behaviour in the area, there is a likelihood of extinction in the coming decades. A June 2008 report said the Edumanom Forest Reserve was the last known site for chimpanzees in the Niger Delta.
Subpopulations
The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee is found in:
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. Chimpanzees were found in Ondo State, Ekiti State, Edo State, and Ogun State. Later surveys also confirmed chimpanzees to be present in Akure-Ofosu Forest Reserve. This population is on the verge of extinction. The genetic affiliations of this population is also unclear.