Capuchin Monkey
BOO joined Animal Tracks in August 2021 as an owner surrender from a private family. Originally from Nevada, where monkey ownership is legal, his family moved to Utah, where it is not. They loved him dearly and spent a year researching different sanctuaries before deciding that Animal Tracks was the perfect home for him. Unlike many surrendered animals, Boo’s former family continues to support him and visit regularly—by now, they are part of our family too!
Having never been around other monkeys, Boo never learned typical capuchin behaviors. Despite our best efforts to integrate him with his fellow capuchins, he remains far more interested in people. He does spend some time each day with the other capuchins, in hopes that he’ll start engaging in a little "monkey business" of his own. But for now, he’s very happy with his human friends!
ORDER: PRIMATES
FAMILY: CEBIDAE
GENUS: SAPAJUS
SPECIES: APELLA
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
CE - Critically Endangered