In popular culture, the chimpanzee has long occupied a rather demeaning role — something between that of delinquent child and circus clown. A generation ago, these charismatic great apes were most likely to be seen advertising teabags or prancing about in a tutu at the circus. In the age of the wildlife documentary, however, we can now better appreciate them as the complex, forest-dwelling animals they really are. With luck, we can even visit them in the wild.
The common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) is one of two species that make up the genus Pan.