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Distribution
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South America
Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana and Guyana.
Tropical rainforest, semi-deciduous forest and montane forest.
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Behaviour
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Capuchins are possibly the most intelligent monkeys in the world and rival the great apes with their ability to learn and solve complex problems. Their brain makes up about 1.9% of their total weight. In comparison human brains equal about 2% and chimpanzee brains only equal about 0.9%. In human care capuchins are excellent problem solvers & will make and use tools. Advanced tool use has now been seen in the wild where specially selected stones are used to crack open nuts against stone anvils. They often display cooperative behaviour and have a sense of fairness. They regularly embark on cooperative hunting trips and will attack animals such as young ringtail coatis (Nasua nasua)
The capuchins' intelligence enables them to survive in particularly harsh and competitive environments. They range over vast areas in search of food each day. They are mainly arboreal and avoid the dangers of the forest floor. They travel by running and leaping along branches.
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Reproduction
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The breeding season is around April to July. Gestation (pregnancy) lasts 21 to 23 weeks. Normally 1 young is born per female. The young are fully dependent on the mother until 6 months old and fully weaned off their mothers milk by 1 year old. Females will normally wait up to 2 years before having the next offspring. Other females help the mother to care for the young. They have a long adolescence & are not mature adults until about 7 years old. During this time they learn the skills needed to survive in the forest.
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Appearance
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Brown capuchin monkeys have rusty brown fur on the body with dark, chocolate brown legs, forearms and tail. The face is light brown with a distinctive dark brown cap and side burns. This cap resembles the hairstyle or skull cap of capuchin monks from which they get their name. Colouration is highly variable and the different species and subspecies of capuchin are still highly disputed among scientists.
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Size
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Weight: 1.3 - 4.8 Kilograms (2 lb 14oz - 10 lb 10oz)
Length: 96cm head to tail (38 inches)
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Social Structure
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Capuchin monkeys live in groups of 8 to 14 individuals. Multiple males & females live in each group and males are dominant to females. Generally females remain in their mothers group and gangs of males fight for the right to breed with them. Wild males are often scarred from such aggressive encounters. However, capuchins do show cooperative behaviour. Group members have a highly developed system of communication using smell, postures, gestures & calls, this reflects their intelligence. This species is known to associate (share space and/or food) with other species such as white-throated capuchins (Cebus albifrons), white-nosed bearded sakis (Chiropotes albinasus), buffy sakis (Pithecia albicans) and are often followed by squirrel monkeys (Saimiri species).
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Territory Defence
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Capuchins use a large home range but defend individual food sources more than territories. They mark their territory by urinating on their feet and walking along branches. Vocal calls are also important in deterring intruders but they will share space and or food with other species.
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Diet
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This is an omnivorous species which eats a variety of fruits (66%), seeds (25%), pith (7%), nectar (1%), insects and small animals (1%).
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Activity Period
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Brown capuchin monkeys, like all monkeys, are active during the day (diurnal) as they do not have good night vision.
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Predators
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Birds of prey, snakes, jaguars and other carnivores will try to catch capuchin monkeys but this species is very evasive and always on the lookout for threats. Some capuchins have been known to attack jaguars by throwing rocks down cliffs at them.
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Conservation Status
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IUCN Red List: Least concern
CITES: Not listed
Population estimate: No current estimate available.
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Threats
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These monkeys are not currently threatened with extinction from human activities. Continued loss and destruction of habitat will affect the population and force monkeys to rely on crops for food. There is a continuing pet trade in this species and animals are still removed from the wild. Monkeys do not adapt well to living in captivity and often suffer severe psychological difficulties resulting in destructive and self abusive behaviour.
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Brown Capuchin Monkeys at the Zoo
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Charlie, Timmy, Bailey, Harley and Davidson
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Brown Capuchin Monkeys available for adoption
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Brown Capuchin Monkey Family back to top
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