Capuchin Monkey

Capuchin Monkey

Capuchin Monkeys received their name from a group of Franciscan friars known as the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. These friars wear brown robes with large hoods covering their heads. Early Spanish and Portuguese explorers reaching the Americas in the 15th century found these small monkeys who resembled the Capuchin friars of their homelands and named the monkeys Capuchins. The Capuchin monkey's body, arms, legs and tail are all darkly (black or brown) colored, while their face, throat and chest are white colored, and their heads have a black cap. They reach a length 12 - 22 inches, with tails that are just as long as the body. They can weigh up to 13 lb.

The capuchin monkey has a prehensile tail, unlike the squirrel monkey.

Feeding on fruits, seeds and insects, the capuchin monkeys roam throughout the forest in groups of 6 to 40 members. These groups consist of related females and their offspring, as well as several males. Normally groups are dominated by a single male, with primary rights to mate with the females of the group. However the White-headed Capuchin groups, a sub-species, are led by both an alpha male and an alpha female.

Capuchin monkeys can be found in Honduras and Brazil, eastern Peru, and Paraguay.
Capuchin monkeys are considered the most intelligent New World monkeys and because of this are often used in laboratories.

The Tufted Capuchin,a sub-species, is especially noted for its long-term tool usage, one of the few examples of primate tool use other than by apes.

These monkeys seem to be doing well and are not on the endangered species list.

More in the next edition.