HAILEY came to us in October 2017 at 13 years of age. She was owner surrendered along with another capuchin, Ember, from a family that moved from Arizona where it was legal to have a pet monkey to California where it is not. Haley is a very petite, cute capuchin with a pixie-like face, a gorgeous smile and a twinkle in her eye. She took a special liking to another one of our neutered male Capuchins Marley and I believe she recently changed her Facebook status from, “It’s complicated” to “in a relationship” with him. They are very bonded and have a lot of fun playing and wrestling throughout the day. She also loves to have tickle sessions with a couple of people that she is very attached to!
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