tufted capuchin

Tufted capuchin monkeys have a dark brown and black coat. They have a distinct black “cap” and black side burns on their heads.  These monkeys have a bundle of thick, long, hardened hair on their foreheads that can be raised as a sort of “wig”, as well as, long prehensile tails that are known for their intelligence and tool use.  These monkeys are very stocky and robust , with a body length of 13-22 in and can weigh anywhere from 4 to 10 pounds. The tufted capuchin is believed to be more powerfully built than other capuchins. 

 Tufted capuchins are native to South America, specifically in the Amazon basin. They inhabit countries like Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Venezuela. They are found in a variety if forest types . These types include moist tropical and subtropical forests , as well as, . They can also be found in savannah forests and mangrove forests. Black-capped capuchins are arboreal, meaning they spend most of their time up in the trees at elevations up to 2700 meters. They inhabit the understory and lower middle canopy layers of the forest. 

Capuchins are social monkeys, forming groups up of two to twenty or more individuals led by an alpha or dominant male. They are active during the day. The black-capped capuchin spend their days primarily foraging for food and traveling through the forest canopy, often in groups, and engaging in social interactions like grooming each other and playing. They are extremely territorial animals. Capuchin monkeys also have a dominance hierarchy, meaning the dominant male has priority to access to food and mating opportunities.

Tufted capuchins are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. Their diet primarily consists of fruits, leaves, seeds, flowers, and buds. They also consume insects, spiders, lizards and small birds as well as eggs. Their food choices depend on seasonal availability. Surprisingly , they are known to   experiment with new food sources. They particularly enjoy palm fruits and during the dry seasons they rely on the pith from the Scheelea palm tree for sustenance. The tufted capuchin use tools like stones to crack open nuts and sticks to dig for food and search for insects.

Black capped capuchins are most vulnerable when foraging on the forest floor for food. Like other capuchin species, they face predation from jaguars, harpy eagles, boa constrictors amongst other animals. Humans also pose a great threat through habitat destruction and hunting.