Tufted or brown capuchin

Tufted or brown capuchin

Description

The tufted or brown capuchin (Sapajus apella, formerly Cebus apella) is a sturdy New World monkey from the forests of South America. Its coat is mostly brown and it is easily recognised by the dark cap of hair and the tuft-like crests above the ears that give it its name. Including the long prehensile tail it measures around a metre, with males noticeably heavier and more powerfully built than females.

Habitat

It lives in tropical rainforests and gallery forests across northern South America, above all in the vast Amazon basin. The species spends most of its time climbing in the middle and upper canopy, but also thrives in secondary forest and along rivers. Because it adapts so readily to different habitats, it is not considered threatened.

Diet

The brown capuchin is an omnivore. Fruit, nuts and seeds form the bulk of its diet, supplemented with insects, birds' eggs and the occasional small vertebrate. It is famous for cracking hard palm nuts by pounding them with stones, making it one of the few monkeys known to use tools.

Reproduction

After a gestation of roughly five to six months the female usually gives birth to a single infant. The youngster rides on its mother's back at first and is nursed and cared for over a long period. Sexual maturity comes at around four to seven years, with females breeding earlier than males.

Lifespan

In the wild brown capuchins live for about 15 to 25 years. Under human care, with reliable food and veterinary attention, they live considerably longer and can reach well over 40 years of age.

Did you know?

Capuchins rank among the most intelligent monkeys in the Americas. They use stones as hammer and anvil to open nuts, and they rub crushed millipedes into their fur, apparently using the chemicals as a natural insect repellent.