Fragmentation, degradation and the loss of habitat are, among others, important drivers of human-induced biodiversity loss. Since half of the biodiversity can be found in tropical rainforests it is clear that the key to maintaining this biodiversity is the conservation of forests (Slingenberg et al. 2009). Primates are also severely affected by these threats since 90% of the primate species depend on forests for there survival (Mittermeier and Cheney 1987). This is also the case for the chimpanzee populations living in the DR Congo. The aim of this thesis is to characterise an unstudied population of chimpanzees living in three neighbouring forest fragments on the Lendu Plateau near Lake Albert. In recent decades the fragmentation in the area intensified. In 1985 the area consisted of a larger and small forest fragment. Nowadays the larger forest fragment is split up into two smaller fragments. In this study the tree composition of the forest was analysed. With Shannon indices (H) between 2.49 and 2.98, for the three fragments, the study area can be considered as moderately divers when considering tree species. Although the forest fragments are quite small the density of chimpanzees is quite high compared to other African forests. The density was estimated to be around 3.8 individuals per km2. This study found that night nests were more often found further away from human settlements and on higher altitudes. The data available for this thesis suggests that food trees are more likely to be used as nesting trees. In literature there is still a lot of debate and some articles suggest that other factors such as physical tree characteristics are more important for the selection of nesting trees (Stanford and OMalley 2008). This study shows that small forests can harbour threatened species and thus could be of importance for conservation.

The great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans) are our closest living relatives, sharing a common ancestor only five million years ago. We also share key features such as high intelligence, omnivorous diets, prolonged child-rearing and rich social lives. The great apes show a surprising diversity of adaptations, particularly in social life, ranging from the solitary life of orangutans, through patriarchy in gorillas to complex but different social organisations in bonobos and chimpanzees. As great apes are so close to humans, comparisons yield essential knowledge for modelling human evolutionary origins. Great Ape Societies provides comprehensive up-to-date syntheses of work on all four species, drawing on decades of international field work, zoo and laboratory studies. It will be essential reading for students and researchers in primatology, anthropology, psychology and human evolution.

An engaging account of the research and key findings on Taï chimpanzees to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this project.

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus), otherwise known as pygmy chimpanzees, are the only two species of the genus Pan. As they are our nearest relatives, there has been much research devoted to investigating the similarities and differences between them. This book offers an extensive review of the most recent observations to come from field studies on the diversity of Pan social behaviour, with contributions from many of the world's leading experts in this field. A wide range of social behaviours is discussed including tool use, hunting, reproductive strategies and conflict management as well as demographic variables and ecological constraints. In addition to interspecies behavioural diversity, this text describes exciting new research into variations between different populations of the same species. Researchers and students working in the fields of primatology, anthropology and zoology will find this a fascinating read.

Wild chimpanzees are only found in tropical Africa, where their populations have declined by more than 66% in the last 30 years. This Action Plan focuses on one of the four chimpanzee subspecies, the western chimpanzee, which is one of the two subspecies most threatened with extinction. This publication presents a plan for action that represents a consensus among all parties concerned with the conservation of chimpanzees.