Panamanian White-faced Capuchin: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Monkeys of the Americas · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. Capuchins are named after Capuchin friars: the dark cap and pale face look like the hooded robes the friars wear.
2. It rubs citrus fruit, leaves, ants and even millipedes into its fur. This may help keep ticks and other pests away.
3. A picky eater, it sniffs, tastes and squeezes fruit to check it is ripe, then eats the juicy pulp and spits out the seeds.
4. Peccaries and agoutis follow feeding capuchins to grab the fruit they drop. Some hawks tag along too, looking for food.
5. For a monkey that weighs up to 3.9 kg, it lives a very long time: one in captivity reached more than 54 years.

The quiz

1. Who are capuchin monkeys named after?

• A famous explorer
• A Panamanian king
• Capuchin friars and their hoods (correct)
• A type of coffee

Their head colours look like the cowls worn by Capuchin friars.

2. Why might capuchins rub plants and millipedes into their fur?

• To keep pests like ticks away (correct)
• To change colour
• To grow longer hair
• To keep their fur dry

Scientists think the rubbing may help keep off ticks and biting insects.

3. What does it usually do with the seeds of a fruit?

• Saves them for winter
• Plants them in the ground
• Feeds them to its babies
• Spits them out (correct)

It eats the pulp and juice and spits out the seeds.

4. Why do peccaries and agoutis follow feeding capuchins?

• To hunt the capuchins
• To pick up the fruit they drop (correct)
• To steal their babies
• To use their nests

They come looking for fruit that the capuchins let fall.

5. What is the longest recorded life span of this capuchin in captivity?

• About 8 years
• About 15 years
• Over 54 years (correct)
• About 25 years

One lived for more than 54 years in captivity.

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