Brown capuchin

Cebus apella

Scientific Name

Brown capuchin:  
Cebus apella

Distribution and Habitat

Geographic Range

Brown capuchin monkeys are found east of the Andes from Colombia and Venezuela to Paraguay and northern Argentina.

Natural Habitat

They inhabit almost every type of forest in their range. They are also found in a range of different habitats. They typically remain in the understory or lower and middle canopy layers of the forest.

Physical Characteristics

  • These monkeys vary in color from light brown, to mustard yellow, to black.  They have a patch of black fur on the top of their head and black sideburns.  Their shoulders and underside are lighter than the rest of their body.  Above their ears they have black tufts of fur, giving the species one of its common names, tufted capuchin monkey.  They have a long prehensile (grasping) tail, and this species is the only one known to carry their tail in a tight coil.

Quick Facts

  1. Capuchins are closely related to spider and squirrel monkeys.

  2. They can be found in mixed species groups.

Exhibit

M&T Bank Rainforest Falls

Conservation Status

Least Concern: The Brown capuchin is common or abundant and is likely to survive in the wild.

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Diet

Omnivore

Brown capuchin monkeys are omnivorous, eating fruits, insects, birds, lizards, frogs, leaves, nectar and nuts. Here at the Zoo, they are fed leaf-eater biscuits, primate biscuits, greens, fruits and vegetables.

Images