White-fronted capuchin pictures and facts

The White-fronted Capuchin (Cebus albifrons) is a small, omnivorous monkey found throughout the northern half of South America. The primate's range currently stretches across seven countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Trinidad. The animal was discovered by Alexander von Humboldt in 1812, although there was some confusion about the description of the animal because of the various colors found across the 5 different subspecies. The primate is usually a creamy white color in front (hence the name White-fronted Capuchin), although the area that is "white" in the front can range from a creamy white color to a cinnamon brown color depending on the subspecies. Males are larger than females, with males averaging 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) while females average 2.9 kg (6.4 lb).

While the primate is primarily arboreal, it forages for food at all different levels of the forest. The animal often goes to the forest floor to obtain its diet that consists primarily of fruits, insects, frogs, lizards, and bird eggs. One of the notable traits of the White-fronted Capuchin is that it is a primate that is capable of manipulating objects; while it is common for larger, more advanced primates like chimpanzee to manipulate objects, the White-fronted Capuchin is one of the few small primates that have exhibited this trait. The White-fronted Capuchin has been observed in the wild examining leaves and turning them over to find insects and other food sources, and this ability is an example of adaptibility and intelligence that is not common in the smaller primates. The primate forms social groups called troops, with the older, alpha males leading the group and protecting members of the group from other troops and predators. Males are polygamous, and the gestation period for the primate is 160 days.

Only one baby is born at a time, and all members of a troop participate in playing with and helping raise the young.

The major predators of the White-fronted Capuchin are the boa constrictor and a bird of prey that shares its habitat called the Double-toothed Kite. When confronted with a predator, the primate will either exhibit aggressive behavior or descend to the forest floor and run. Aggressive behavior to predators or intruders typically takes the form of screams and the breaking of branches. Because of its wide range and ability to adapt, the White-fronted Capuchin is not yet considered endangered. There is, however, a concern that as their habitats continue to shrink in South America, the White-fronted Capuchin population may decrease.

Picture of the white-fronted capuchin by Whaldener Endo, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic