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Cebidae - Black-Capped Capuchin
Topic Started: Nov 14 2013, 11:55 AM (1,339 Views)
Furka
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Black-Capped Capuchin ~ Cebus apella

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General Information

Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Cebidae
Genus: Cebus
Species: apella

Location
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This species lives in the northern Amazon rainforest of the Guyanas, Venezuela and Brazil and to the west of the Rio Negro, as far north as the Orinoco in Venezuela. It is also found in eastern Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, including the upper Andean Magdalena valley in Colombia.

Conservation Status
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Sizes
Weight4,8 kg
Length (average)110 cm
Height (average)<--->


In Zoos

Type of Exhibit: When designing a Capuchin exhibit it is important to remember that they are an arboreal species that also spends a considerable amount of time on the ground so they will generally use the entire exhibit.
Capuchin islands are very popular in zoos, they are aesthetically attractive and a certain way of containing captive monkeys (Capuchins cannot swim their body composition of more muscle than fat does not permit swimming). The floor of the moat should slope upwards at a constant angle from the bottom of the perimeter moat wall at the edge of the land area, to prevent monkeys from slipping into the deep end. Access to the enclosure can be provided by submerged walkways; these walkways should be approximately 20 cm below the surface and should not be visible to the animals. The minimum moat width required to house capuchins in 3 metres, at this distance the monkeys cannot leap over the moat. The moats also require a perimeter wall on its outer edge; this must be at least 55 cm above maximum water level and the wall should be smooth faced or of a surface that cannot be scaled by the Capuchin. An extra safety precaution of an electric hot-wire fence is also recommended, particularly if the moat wall or maximum moat depth is less than the measurements stated above. If an electric fence is used it is important that it is installed above the maximum water level, above overflow outlets and must not be able to be touched by members of the public. Enclosed exhibits are also suitable for housing Capuchins assuming they are provided with access to direct sunlight to obtain their requirement of vitamin D3.If a mesh wire barrier is used; the diameter of the wire should be at least 2.5mm and the maximum mesh dimension required are 25mm by 25mm, this eliminates the possibility of infants escaping.
Open exhibits can also be used to house Capuchins, The security requirements of this type of enclosure are a smooth surface that cannot be scaled by the monkey on the perimeter wall and electric hot wire fence. These two restriction methods should be used in conjunction to provide security. A tall mesh fence is inadequate for monkeys. In an exhibit that uses a gate or door rather than a submerged walkway (i.e. not a monkey island) an “air lock” should be used. The air lock is an area with a door leading into the exhibit and a door leading to outside of the exhibit. This safety measure eliminates the risk of animal escape upon keeper entry into the enclosure; it also provides a safe area for the keeper if they were to be attacked by a monkey. There are many kinds of substrate that can be used to house capuchins including sand, pea gravel, bark chips wool, straw and volcanic pebbles.
Enclosure furnishings are the crucial factor in designing a Capuchin enclosure; they provide these intelligent animals with environmental enrichment preventing behavioural problems. Climbing structures within the exhibit should provide adequate vertical space and postural supports to enable all animals to move and perch with their tail hanging in a normal position of rest without touching the floor. Perches with multiple heights within the enclosure are desirable and the structures should permit jumping vertically and laterally. Capuchins are arboreal quadrapudalists that locomote on surfaces which are vertical and horizontal, but mostly oblique. Therefore, Capuchins should be provided with oblique structures in addition to the more obvious horizontal and vertical ones. The size and flexibility of such structures should be selected in order to provide wide variety. These structures provide a means of avoiding other group members, but are excellent stimuli for physical exercise and play, and also better exploiting of available enclosure space. The obvious climbing structure that would be suitable for capuchins would be trees or similar wooden structures, but other substitutes can be used.

Temperament: There are certain precautions a keeper should take to avoid aggressive encounters with Capuchins. When entering the exhibit to feed, acknowledge the dominant male first. In the wild, the dominant male would feed before the choice of feed and if subordinates are fed before him he may get jealous and become aggressive. The dominant male controls the troop so it is important to familiarize with him and “become friends”.

Diet: The recommended diet according to the Exhibited Animals Protection Act (EAPA) is as follows: commercial primate diet, fresh fruits and vegetables, insects- mealworms, crickets, meat, chicks, eggs, nuts, seeds, browse.

Social Needs: Capuchin social life forms a dominance hierarchy with a distinctive dominant male and female. Capuchin groups contain multiple individuals of both sexes. Subordinates are sometimes the victims of aggression from the dominant animals, more so from males than females. The compatibility of Capuchins depends on the relationship between the individual animals, same sex and between sexes relationships can be positive and can also be negative. Dominant males will often direct aggression towards subordinate males, sometimes this can be persistent and in the worst case scenario the victim might have to be removed. Introductions of male capuchins can be difficult and agonism is to be expected from the dominant male. These introduction procedures must be taken with caution and if done effectively can be successful. Males can also from strong relationships with one another, particularly if the pair was born in the same troop. Females form stronger same sex relationships than the males and are less likely to act aggressively towards one another but altercations may still occur. Male and females can coexist in captivity without much difficulty, adult males only rarely direct physical aggression towards females. The species can be housed as a pair of males or a female group. Males housed as companions can be exhibited without undue problems, without the need to dominate the group a pair of males can have an affiliative relationship.

Extra Information:
  • At one point all tufted capuchins were classified as Cebus apella.
  • Important natural enemies of the capuchin are large birds of prey. They are so afraid of those birds, that they even become alarmed when a harmless bird flies over.
  • The tufted capuchin rubs urine on its hands and feet in order to attract mates and reduce stress.
  • The tufted capuchin has been observed using containers to hold water, using sticks (to dig nuts, to dip for syrup, to catch ants, to reach food), using sponges to absorb juice, using stones as hammer and chisel to penetrate a barrier and using stones as hammer and anvil to crack nuts. While some of these tasks are relatively simple by cognitive standards (e.g. using a stick to catch ants), others, like cracking nuts with hammer and anvil are only exceeded in complexity by chimpanzees.
  • Cebus apella were successfully exhibited together with black-handed spider monkey (ateles geoffroyi), Squirrel Monkey (samiri sp.), giant anteater (myrmacophagia trydactylus) and Brazilian Tapir (tapirius terrestrius). The Capuchins rarely, if ever interact with the tapirs or the anteater. On the adult male spider monkeys was aggressive towards two of the adult male Capuchins and could not be exhibited together. The squirrel monkeys and Capuchins had a positive relationship and juveniles would often play together. Two of the female capuchins shared holding cages with the squirrel monkeys rather than enter the capuchins holding cages. In the wild these two species coexist peacefully and sometimes forage together, which is mainly beneficial to the Squirrel monkey. A Variety of bird species was used in this exhibit but the Capuchins are opportunistic predators and have attacked ill or injured birds that have landed on the ground.


Exhibit Examples
Edited by zoocrazy, Nov 14 2013, 01:10 PM.
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