Black Capped Capuchin

About...

Class: Mammal

Order: Primate

Family: Cebidae

Genus: Cebus anella

Size: Body length: 12-20 inches; tail length: 20 inches; weight: 5-9 lbs

Breeding: 8 years for males; 4 years for females

Mating: During the dry season (fall)

Gestation: 180 days

No. of young: 1

Lifestyle: Groups or troops

Diet: Fruits, nuts, berries, seeds, flowers, bark, insects, eggs and small rodents

Lifespan: 40 years

Capuchins are found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. The name is derived from the cap of a dark hair on the monkey’s crown, which resembles the cowl work by Capuchin monks. Generally arboreal, capuchins are often found in under-story and mid-canopy areas, although they can be seen on the forest floor.

Capuchins are omnivores. They have horns or ridges of hair over their eyes or along the sides of the head. Their color normally ranges from grayish browns to dark browns, almost black. Their tails are well covered in silky or shiny hair. A well-defined thumb is also present. The tail is slightly prehensile and is often carried coiled at the tip.

Capuchins are such intelligent little monkeys that they have become the most numerous in captivity in the United States. They are the monkeys used by “organ grinders” and currently are “helping hands” for the physically challenged. They must be kept warm and free from cold drafts and receive a wide variety of foods, exercise and sunlight.

Capuchin monkeys are not endangered.