Capuchin

Capuchins live in tropical forests stretching from Honduras through the Amazon Basin. Their name comes from hooded robes worn by Capuchin friars, which resemble the monkeys’ dark caps and pale faces. Capuchins weigh only a few kilograms, yet they leap powerfully between branches using long tails for balance. Their dexterous fingers can peel fruit, pry bark, or clasp tools, and keen eyes spot ripening palm nuts from afar.

Troops often include 15 to 25 individuals led by a dominant male and supported by female kin. Members groom each other, share food, and issue alarm calls when harpy eagles or jaguars appear. Capuchins communicate with chirps, squeals, and facial expressions, while juveniles play chase to practice balance. Territory boundaries are marked with scent and loud calls, but neighboring groups sometimes meet peacefully at shared fruit trees.

Capuchins eat a remarkably varied diet. They crack hard nuts with stones, dig for insect larvae, raid bird nests for eggs, and lap nectar from flowers. During dry seasons, they visit coastal mangroves to open crab shells or search tide pools for snails. Researchers have documented tool traditions such as using sticks to probe termite mounds or rubbing plants on fur to repel insects. These behaviors spread as youngsters imitate experienced adults.

Habitat loss, pet trade capture, and hunting threaten some capuchin populations. Forest clearing for cattle ranching and soy fields fragments home ranges, forcing troops to travel on the ground, where roads pose dangers. Conservation groups create biological corridors, rescue confiscated monkeys, and teach farmers to replant shade trees that provide food. In some areas, trained capuchins assist people with spinal cord injuries, demonstrating the cognitive abilities of these quick-handed primates.