CAPUCHIN MONKEYS
Is also called “Sapajou”, common Central and South American primate, found in
tropical forests from Nicaragua to Paraguay. Capuchins, considered among the
most intelligent of the New World monkeys; unfortunately though, their intelligence has caused them to be used in many experiments in laboratories all around the world. They are named for their “caps” of hair, which
resemble the cowls of Capuchin monks.
These monkeys are round-headed and stockily
built, with fully haired prehensile tails and opposable thumbs. The body is
30–55 cm long, with a tail of about the same length. Coloration ranges from
pale to dark brown or black, with white facial markings in some of the four
species.
FUN FACTS ABOUT CAPUCHIN MONKEYS
· Capuchin monkeys are little
compared to other primates.
· Capuchin monkeys are highly
intelligent animals that use different kinds of tools (sticks, branches, stones)
to open shells, nuts and hard seeds.
Capuchin monkeys spend most of
their lives in the treetops, where they can find food and avoid predators.
Capuchin monkeys use special types of warning calls to alarm members of the group in the case of danger.
"Purr" sound is produced when monkeys greet each other.
- Males urinate on their hands and cover their body with urine to attract the females. Pregnancy lasts 157 to 167 days and ends with a single baby.
Although this species is not listed on the IUCN Red List of endangered animals, they have a few relatives that are listed as Critically Endangered, such as the Blonde Capuchin, found in Brazil. Everyday, they are losing more and more of their forest habitat as this gets cleared to make way for other human uses. This is a really sad situation and we as humans need to stop deforestation because we are not just cutting trees, we are cutting homes and with them, ending animals lives.
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