Abstract
Extensive surveys of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) were conducted in the southwestern Rukwa Region, Tanzania. The chimpanzees in Loasi River Forest Reserve and Lwafi Game Reserve are currently the southernmost population among all known wild chimpanzees. Nests of chimpanzees and information obtained from local people show that these chimpanzees inhabit an area of, at least, about 70km belt in length with 25km width along the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika and Lukalo Escarpment between the Tembwa River Basin and the Kafukoka River Basin (1, 250km2). Further surveys are needed for understanding historical change of chimpanzee distribution and adaptation of chimpanzees to arid surroundings of savanna woodland. In addition, proper conservational planning is indispensable to protecting chimpanzees and other wild animals in this area.
