Capuchin Monkey
EMBER arrived at Animal Tracks in October 2017 as an owner surrender, along with another capuchin named Haley. Her previous family had moved from Arizona, where pet monkey ownership is legal, to California, where it is not. When Ember first came to us, she didn’t know how to act or communicate like a monkey. She would self-soothe by rocking, a sign of distress and anxiety.
It took time and patience, but Ember slowly learned how to be a monkey. Today, she shares her space with Tara, an older capuchin undergoing treatment for lymphoma. Ember has blossomed in her role as Tara’s companion, often grooming her and offering motherly affection. This bond has helped her come out of her shell, transforming her from a nervous, anxious monkey into a more confident and social one.
Though still shy, Ember has formed close connections with a few people, quietly sitting with them for mutual grooming—an incredible sign of trust. To our delight, she continues to open up to more and more people. Many of our volunteers have been deeply moved by her journey, watching her make enormous strides in her emotional well-being. She is truly an inspiration!
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