Taï's chimpanzees are world-famous because they use stone hammers and anvils to crack open hard nuts. A mother chimpanzee will sit with her baby and slowly show it how to pick the right stone, position a nut on a flat rock, and strike it with just enough force to crack the shell without smashing the nut inside. It takes baby chimps years to learn this skill.
Chimpanzees live in large social groups called communities. They communicate through calls, facial expressions, and gestures – a bit like humans do. Scientists have identified dozens of different calls that mean different things, from warnings about predators to excited greetings when friends meet.
Chimps build sleeping nests high in the trees each evening, bending leafy branches into a comfortable platform. They eat mostly fruit, but also leaves, seeds, insects, and occasionally eggs. Their love of fruit means they help spread seeds through the forest – a crucial job for keeping the rainforest healthy.