Common Name: White-faced Capuchin

Type: Mammal

Family: Cebidae

Range: White faced capuchin are native to the forests of Central America and the north-western part of South America. They can be found from Colombia to Brazil, Panama. They are also available in major parts of Costa Rica. Major national parks, such as Santa Rosa National Park, Corcovado National Park, La Selva, San Vito, San Jose, and Monteverde natural reserve are having white faced capuchin.

Size: The adult white faced capuchin get a length of between 35-45cm (13.8-18in) 335, excluding tail, this species of monkey has a longer tail than his body and can a length up to 551 mm (21.7 inches). Males have larger body than females. A white-headed capuchin has larger brain than other larger monkeys. It is weighing about 79.2 gram (2.79 oz.).

Weight: It is weighing between 2.9 – 3.9kg (6.4-8.6lbs). Male is weighing 2.6 – 4.1 kg and female is 3.2 – 5.5 kg.
Diet: Capuchins are having omnivorous diet. The White-faced Capuchin’s diet consists of mix fruits and insects, however, from time to time small birds, small mammals and seeds also.

Average life span: The average life span of a White faced monkey is 44 years.

Habitat: They are found in several different kinds of forest, evergreen forest, tropical, semi tropical, dry and humid forests, and in mangrove forest also. However, they prefer primary or secondary forests. They are available at higher altitude in older forest and areas with abundant water availability during the hot season. They are inhabiting in the forest of Costa Rica at Caribbean Cost and on Pacific coast forest.

Breeding/Reproduction: Breeding is normal throughout the year, but it is usually births take place in the start of the rainy period. Courtship is compound, and is starts by the female. Gestation period is approximately 150 days. The toddler is carried by the mother and other females of the group. The growth is slower and it takes around 2 years to get independent for a younger. Sexual maturity can be reached at the age of 5-6 years. Courtship is complex, and is initiated by the female. Gestation is about 150 days, after which one (very rarely two) young is born.

Related Animals:
Howler Monkey, Spider Monkey, Pygmy Marmoset, Squirrel Monkey, Golden lion Tamarin, Monkey and Wooly Monkey.

Cebus cappuccinos (White-faced Capuchin) , found in Central and South America’s jungle is one of the most intelligent species of monkey in the world. It has a medium built and weighs 3.9 kg. It is mainly black in color with a pink face and shades of white throughout its body’s front part. So it is commonly called as white-throated Capuchin or White-faced Capuchin. Its body can be supported completely by its tail while feeding or moving from one branch to another. The Tail is prehensile and its length is more than the height of the monkey.

This species of monkey is quite popular with humans. It is known as the organ grinder’s best friend and it can also be trained in assisting persons who are paraplegic. It is also known for its role in maintaining ecological balance of the rain forest by dispersing pollen and the seeds of the plant.

This White-faced Capuchin has a life span of over 50 years making it one of the longest living species of monkey in the world. This monkey is highly social and lives in large groups often exceeding 20 individuals which include both male and female. Evidence suggests that this monkey has knowledge of using crude tools as weapon during food gathering and also have some knowledge of medicinal plants.

The White-faced Capuchin is basically an omnivore with its diet consisting of both fruits and insects. It forages both at the ground and tree tops for food. It also uses stones to break the shells of hard fruits. In Costa Rica this species of monkey eats different types of fruits and caterpillar in rainy season and larvae, insects in dry season. This monkey also likes to drink large quantities of water daily and make it’s habitat near a water hole in the jungle.

Roughly 20% of Costa Rica is set aside as national parks. This is what makes the country so special. In fact, while traveling through Corcovado National Park in Southern Costa Rica you can see all four species (spider, howler, squirrel, and Capuchin) of Costa Rican monkeys in one view. This little guy was pretty feisty and ran around the canopy tracking our every move. The white faced Capuchin can be spotted in several national park and rain forest reserve, such as Barra Honda National Park, Arenal Volcano National Park, Corcovado National Park, Juan Castro Blanco National Park, Aviarios del Caribe, Childrens Eternal Rain Forest, and Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve.

Capuchins are considered one of the smartest monkeys so many have been used to help out paraplegics in their daily lives.
The ones without training end up organ grinder assistants. Just kidding! They are actually Central American “Johnny Appleseeds”. They travel throughout the forest in troops of 20 or more and they disperse seeds along the way from the berries and fruits they eat. Poo makes for great fertilizer.

They are habitually living in groups of 5-30 which have many males; however there is a chain of command that initiates with the Alpha Male, followed by the Alpha Female, and so on. Females of this species form group and stay together with closely, when a new group of males try to hold the fort and get rid of the older males they generally favor and interacting with the males to keep themselves and the toddlers safe, however sometimes they will join with the males against intruding males.