The Biggest Chimp Community in Africa: A Planet Earth Story
A troop of 150 chimpanzees. That's not a typo — it's the largest chimp community ever recorded in Africa, and they all live in one stretch of forest in Uganda. Sir David Attenborough takes you inside their world in this clip from BBC's Planet Earth, and it's not exactly peaceful. Chimps are unusual among jungle animals — they move just as easily through the treetops as they do on the ground, which comes in handy when your diet depends on finding enough fig trees to feed 150 mouths. But a community this size needs serious territory to sustain it, and that means defending it.
Watch as the troop uses coordinated calls to launch a raid into a rival group's land. Once they cross into enemy territory, everything changes: the calls stop, the pace slows, and every chimp is on high alert, listening for signs of who — and how many — they're up against.
It's a side of chimpanzees you don't usually see: strategic, tense, and surprisingly military in style. Great conversation starter for anything on animal behavior, group dynamics, or how intelligence shows up in unexpected ways.
Sir David Attenborough takes you inside the most remote, extreme, and jaw-dropping corners of the planet — filmed over four years across 64 countries. Learn more.
Lesson Express
Q: What makes the chimpanzees unique in the jungle?
A: They’re rare because they’re large animals and live together in a large group.
Q: Which fruit is an important part of the chimpanzees’ diet?
A: Figs are an important part of the chimpanzees’ diet.
Q: How large is the community of chimps in the video?
A: The community consists of 150 chimps, the largest in Africa.
More Like This
In Clever Chimpanzees, naturalist Steve Backshall comes across chimps in the Loango National Park in Gabon. He watches them engage in behaviors he has never seen before, including working together to get honey. This video is excerpted from BBC's Deadly 60, an award-winning nature and adventure show for kids in which narrator Steve Backshall has one mission: to travel the globe in search of 60 of the world's deadliest animals.
In Jane Goodall's Life Among the Chimpanzees, host Dermot O'Leary explores the groundbreaking work of a young woman who transformed our understanding of animal behavior and human origins. Jane Goodall’s determination and pioneering spirit took her from a typist in Bournemouth to a world-renowned primatologist. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In How Chimpanzees Use Tools, narrator Sir David Attenborough investigates how young chimpanzees are taught how to crack nuts by their mothers. Young chimps can take up to 10 years to master this skill. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In The Colugo Glides From Tree to Tree, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores how colugos survive on the island of Borneo by traveling great distances and gliding through the sky to find food. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Clever Chimpanzees, naturalist Steve Backshall comes across chimps in the Loango National Park in Gabon. He watches them engage in behaviors he has never seen before, including working together to get honey. This video is excerpted from BBC's Deadly 60, an award-winning nature and adventure show for kids in which narrator Steve Backshall has one mission: to travel the globe in search of 60 of the world's deadliest animals.
In Jane Goodall's Life Among the Chimpanzees, host Dermot O'Leary explores the groundbreaking work of a young woman who transformed our understanding of animal behavior and human origins. Jane Goodall’s determination and pioneering spirit took her from a typist in Bournemouth to a world-renowned primatologist. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In How Chimpanzees Use Tools, narrator Sir David Attenborough investigates how young chimpanzees are taught how to crack nuts by their mothers. Young chimps can take up to 10 years to master this skill. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In The Colugo Glides From Tree to Tree, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores how colugos survive on the island of Borneo by traveling great distances and gliding through the sky to find food. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.