First report of geophagy by chimpanzees in Comoe National Park, Ivory Coast

West African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are critically endangered, therefore knowing their ecological needs is necessary to implement proper conservation measures, especially in the face of climatic change. We report here the consumption of soil by wild chimpanzees living in Comoe National Park, Ivory Coast. We confirmed through camera-trap recording that chimpanzees of all ages and both sexes consumed it for several years at least in one community and more occasionally in a second one, aided by leaf-sponge tools. Our results suggest that these chimpanzees living in a savanna-forest mosaic may need minerals supplement, including sodium or/and clay to aid digestion, mainly during the dry season.