Capuchin Monkey
BAILEY arrived at Animal Tracks as a tiny Fish & Wildlife confiscation. She had been kept illegally by a celebrity and was found wearing premie diapers and drinking infant formula. Having known only humans, she was raised like an infant, carried everywhere in a Baby Bjorn to ensure she never felt alone.
Bailey stood out from the other capuchins at Animal Tracks, not only because of her beautiful white face—compared to their dark brown fur—but also because she made a soft purring sound when she was happy, while the others made a lip-smacking noise. The other monkeys initially treated her like an outsider, except for Marley, who instantly bonded with her.
Now Bailey is a playful clown among the monkeys, getting along with nearly all of them. She is a bit more selective when it comes to people, likely due to her wild white-faced capuchin heritage, which comes with a tough, aggressive diet—everything in their environment bites, stings, or pokes. This rugged tenacity gives Bailey a unique character that the browner capuchins don’t share. We’re so grateful to have her as part of the Animal Tracks family—she brings joy and color to everyone she meets!
ORDER: PRIMATES
FAMILY: CEBIDAE
GENUS: CEBUS
SPECIES: CEBUS CAPUCHINUS
Capuchins are diurnal or day dwelling. They are arboreal, live in the trees. They move quadrupedally, by leaping and climbing. They are highly sociable and live in groups of around 8 to 15 individuals. Grooming is a way of taking care of the ones you love, but also climbing the social ladder. They live in a patriarchal society where the male is boss. They are omnivores and eat fruit, leaves, insects, rodents, and reptiles. They are polygamists. The female is pregnant for 150-160 days and normally has one baby at a time. The babies stop nursing at 9 months. Males mature at the age of 7 years, females, much younger, they can have their first child at the age of 4. Capuchins have a superpower, they are seed dispersers, which means they eat the seeds as part of the fruit they consume, and once they defecate, those seeds are ready to become plants and trees.
Threats
Habitat destruction. Jaguars, birds of prey and bushmeat, pet trade and entertainment industry.
Conservation Status
VU - Vulnerable