White-Fronted Capuchin Monkey (Cebus albifrons)

The White-Fronted Capuchin Monkey's scientific name is Cebus albifrons and it is specie of monkey in the Capuchin family. White-Fronted Capuchin Monkey is a type of World primate that can be identified in seven countries including Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia and definitely Trinidad and Tobago. This specie is divided into various subspecies, though the division is controversial and uncertain.

White-Fronted Capuchin Monkey Physical Description

White-Fronted Capuchin is a medium-sized primate that has a light-brown back with a creamy underside. Males usually weigh about 3.4 kg (7.4 lbs) and the female weighs about 2.9 kg (6.3 lbs). This monkey is either palomino or maroon white and creamy white. They do have short fingers and opposable thumbs. Like any other Capuchin specie, they have quite large premolars; the molars are square-shaped and with a very thick enamel that aide in the cracking of nuts.

White-Fronted Capuchin Monkey Habitat

This specie of monkey can be observed in different variety of forests. The tufted capuchin is specifically found in forests that are mesophytic compared to the ones in Vichada where they exploit a xeric habitat. The white-fronted capuchin can survive quite well in forests that grow on gravels and rocks situated at the foot of mesas, or in white sands. It can also be found in the Amazon forest.

White-Fronted Capuchin Monkey Behavior

In the eastern Vichada, the White-Fronted Capuchins are observed in big groups of about 35 primates, while in the south they are found in groups of 7 – 15 primates. It is primarily quadrupedal, though it also utilizes variety of jumps, climbing, falls and gallops. The monkey is extremely terrestrial in specific times of the year especially when the fruits are scarce and they must look for arthropods beneath the dry leaves on the ground. In Llanos Orientales they can be seen walking over grassy savanna in between forests. It uses specific trees for resting at night, normally at heights of about 82 ft.

Some White-Fronted Capuchins have been seen using tree leaves to make cup-like structures that they use to drink water from the tree cavities. They actually change or modify the shape of a leaf to suit the purpose and are later discarded after use, where by it will use another leaf next time.

White-Fronted Capuchin Monkey Diet

Just like every other Capuchin monkeys, it is omnivorous. It primarily feeds on fruits and invertebrates, including some other plant parts or even small vertebrates. They are normally seen to forage the forest at all level heights. They often get higher to feed on birds’ eggs, and also get as low as the forest floor to feed on arthropods when the fruits get limited. In northern Colombia especially in the dry season they will spend more than half of their time hunting for potential prey.

The White-fronted capuchin Monkey Social Structure

White-fronted capuchin monkey have inter-group aggressive behaviors. Though the males are tolerant to each other if they belong to the same group, they are quite aggressive towards males from another group. The structure also includes the alpha male which has control position in the group. If the alpha male in a cautious way all the other members of its group will react in a similar manner.