Black Capped Capuchin
Hi! I’m a Black Capped Capuchin
Black Capped Capuchins, also known as Tufted Capuchin, or Brown Capuchin, may live either a solitary life, or in groups of 2–20. Juvenile males leave the group at sexual maturity and seek out new groups in which to mate. The core members of a group are, therefore, the females typically spend their entire lives in the same group.
Named after a group of Franciscan friars, their black capped heads resemble the hoods they wore. Extremely intelligent, they are great problem solvers and are well known for using tools such as rocks and sticks to aid in food gathering.
The National Zoo is home to 7 Black-Capped Capuchins.
Black Capped Capuchin Facts
Taxonomy
Cebus apella
Population Movement
Decreasing
Current Animals
Coco, Gonzo, Monyet, Gomez, Peanut, Mocha, Santana
Life Span (captive)
35-45 years
Weight
1.9-4.8kg
Reproduction
There’s no specific breeding season, however, births take place mainly in dry season and during early rainy season. Females usually give birth to a single baby (very rarely – twins)
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Group Count
7
Life Span (wild)
About 25 years
Size
32-57cm, with a 38-56cm tail
Gestation
150 to 160 days.
Distribution
Generally, habitats in which they live include different types of forests. They are found in tropical rainforests at the altitude of up to 2700m as well in open forests. The area of their habitat is a huge territory, covering Amazon rainforest of the Guyanas, Venezuela and Brazil, stretching west from the Rio Negro and reaching the Orinoco in Venezuela. The habitat also includes eastern part and upper Andrean Magdalena valley of Colombia as well as certain areas of Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru.
In addition, they have been successfully introduced to Trinidad and Tobago: currently, there’s a population in the northeastern peninsula of Trinidad Island.