Rare Capuchin Monkey Born At Amersfoort Zoo
August 02, 2022
An infant has been born in the group of yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys at Amersfoort Zoo in The Netherlands. “If you look closely, you can see a small monkey sitting on the mother's neck,” says animal caretaker Marianne Spies. “The young are doing well and are already looking around curiously to discover the world.”
The capuchin monkey was born after a gestation period of six months. “The first year the young drink with the mother. Over time, it also eats more and more often with the other animals and it starts to taste and discover everything,” says Marianne. “Now the little one is still clinging to mother, but gradually it will go on adventures more and more often and clamber through the trees by itself. The young learns by looking closely at the adult yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys and imitating them. Of course, the rest of the group of capuchin monkeys also keeps a close eye on the young.”
Yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys are among the top 25 most endangered monkey species in the world. This monkey species lives in the wild in the tropical rainforests of Brazil, but many trees in this habitat are cut down. As a result, their living environment is getting smaller and smaller. Also, many people live in this area, making it more difficult for the monkeys to reach each other. To make this possible again, rope bridges have been made. This makes it easier for the yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys to walk towards each other in the wild. “In our park the capuchin monkeys also travel over rope bridges to cross the water to their outdoor enclosure. If you are lucky, you will pass under these monkeys in your bicycle boat”, Marianne advises. The young and the rest of the group can be admired around the Expedition river in DierenPark Amersfoort .