TARA came to us at 26 years of age in January 2021. She is a retired movie actor, having starred in “Pirates of the Caribbean Curse of the Black Pearl” and “Babe, Pig in the City”. She came to us with lymphoma. According to our veterinarian, she is about mid-stage, so we are treating her with CBD oil and a healthy diet. She visits the vet regularly to have blood workups done and we are happy to report that so far, it doesn’t seem to be progressing, so we are hopeful that she will have several years left with us. She lives with Ember, who lovingly grooms and looks after her with kindness and tenderness. Normally, capuchins will mutually groom each other, but Tara is the Queen in this relationship – although Ember doesn’t seem to mind at all!
ORDER: PRIMATES
FAMILY: CEBIDAE
GENUS: CEBUS
SPECIES: CEBUS CAPUCHINUS
Capuchins are diurnal or day dwelling. They are arboreal, live in the trees. They move quadrupedally, by leaping and climbing. They are highly sociable and live in groups of around 8 to 15 individuals. Grooming is a way of taking care of the ones you love, but also climbing the social ladder. They live in a patriarchal society where the male is boss. They are omnivores and eat fruit, leaves, insects, rodents, and reptiles. They are polygamists. The female is pregnant for 150-160 days and normally has one baby at a time. The babies stop nursing at 9 months. Males mature at the age of 7 years, females, much younger, they can have their first child at the age of 4. Capuchins have a superpower, they are seed dispersers, which means they eat the seeds as part of the fruit they consume, and once they defecate, those seeds are ready to become plants and trees.
Threats
Habitat destruction. Jaguars, birds of prey and bushmeat, pet trade and entertainment industry.
Conservation Status
CE - Critically Endangered