Golden-bellied Capuchin

Found in the Atlantic forest of southern Bahia in Brazil, the Golden-bellied Capuchin is a social monkey that lives in large groups of 10 – 30 individuals. As their name suggests, this primate has a distinctive yellow to golden-red chest, belly and upper arms, which contrasts with its otherwise darkly-colored fur.

The Golden-bellied Capuchin spends most of its time in the lower to mid-canopy and understory of trees and is an expert forager of fruit, nuts, flowers, eggs, young birds, insects and spiders. A quite advanced species, the Golden-bellied Capuchin learns from others in its group, demonstrating the ability to crack open nuts, among other learned behaviours.

It is widely considered the most intelligent of the New World Monkeys. It also displays sophisticated communication methods through barks, growls and chatters. Both sexes take up linear hierarchies, but the top-ranking male is dominant to the top-ranking female.