Capuchin monkeys are a type of New World monkey, native to South America. They can be found in many countries including Colombia, Peru, Equador, Brazil and Venezuela, living in a variety of forest habitats. They are considered one of the most intelligent primates, known for using tools to obtain food. Capuchins are very expressive animals using a wide range of vocalisations and facial expressions to communicate. They have a prehensile tail which they use for balance and to help them move around quickly through the trees, just like having an extra arm. Their diet is omnivorous, consisting of fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetation, insects, eggs and some small birds or small mammals. They live in social groups, led by a dominant male, with group sizes of 10-35 individuals. They are currently classified as “least concern” on the IUCN red list.
Capuchins at Secret Valley:
Secret Valley is home to two troops of Capuchin monkeys. Yuli, Malaika and Cristi make up one group, headed by Monkey our dominant male. Crossa, Pelli and Wosso make up our second group, with Wosso being the dominant male. The capuchins love to entertain the public and their keepers, with their playful energy and cheeky personalities, they are always on the go. However, they didn’t always have a good life. All our capuchins came to us from AAP, an exotic animal rescue centre in the Netherlands. Monkey and Yuli were once in the pet trade. Monkey lived in Spain where he was kept by a private owner and Yuli was a reared as pet in Belgium from a young age. Wosso, Cristi, Malaika, Pelli and Crossa were rescued from a bird park in Germany. The park closed and many animals were abandoned including the capuchins and, as a result of frostbite, now have shorter tails.
