Capuchin motherhood

Sadie Rodriguez

Salt Lake Community College

Salt Lake City, Utah

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 Abstract

In the presented research I will be discussing the cebus capuchin and observing behaviors

specifically in mothers and their babies. I have done 40 hours of data collection at La Selva

Biological Station where a variety of research is done on biological matters. The hypothesis I

will be proving in this research is, Do capuchin mothers stay apart from the group and do

capuchin babies feel dependent of mother or independent. I hypothesize that mothers remove

themselves from the group due to accumulation of resources for their babies, and due to that the

babies become highly dependent of mother. This hypothesis arose from my line of work as a

behavior specialist with kids who have behavioral issues. Human babies are attached to mother

and mother is often more protective and distant from community in the beginning of the infant's

life. In this comparison I would like to observe if capuchin, who mimic a lot of human behavior,

as well show this motherly protection.

Introduction independent. I hypothesize that mothers

In the information I accumulated in the remove themselves from the group due to

preparation for my research I was not able to accumulation of resources for their babies,

gather the information I was hoping to and due to that the babies become highly

collect. My hypothesis is, Do capuchin dependent of mother. I was not able to find

mothers stay apart from the group and do information that strongly backed my

capuchin babies feel dependent of mother or hypothesis however I was able to collect

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 information in regards to female capuchin other), Tongue out (curling tongue to touch

behavior. This information will help me chin), aggressive bounce (bouncing up and

know what behaviors are considered typical down and glaring at other capuchin) I am

when interacting with other capuchins, and I highly interested if this behavior is shown

will be able to notice any change in typical more in mothers carrying a child or if it is

behavior. I found and example ethogram of typical all around, and pilo erect (hair stands

the interaction between female and male on back). These behaviors are a series of

capuchin IN www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. interactions between capuchins and this

Behaviors include hand sniffing, (the explanation will help me map out the

insertion of fingers in partner's nose), eye behaviors I should observe that are not

poking (insertion of partners finger in their typical.

own eye), sucking (prolonged sucking of

body parts), finger games (biting something

of the other partner). On the Methods

Capuchinfoundation.org I was able to find Site Description

another series of behaviors to observe. La selva was established by OTS in 1968.

Those behaviors include, Urine rub La Selva’s is an impactful place in terms of

(splashing urine on other parts of the body), tropical ecology and is one of the largest

Bipedal Scan (Standing on hind quarters and networks of private forest reserves that are

touching around their environment), in the country. La Selva Research Station

Undulating scream (loud high pitched), niple has 1,600 hectares of “well-preserved old-

palpate( one grabs other nipple), friendly growth and recovering wet lowland tropical

climb (one capuchin gets on the back of the

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 forest that abuts the Braulio Carrillo

National Park,” (Tropicalstudies.org)

According to Tropicalstudies.org,

“There are more than 2,077 species of

plants; 125 species of mammals (72 of

them bats); 470 species of birds; 48

amphibian species; 87 species of

reptiles; 45 species of freshwater fish;

and tens of thousands of insects,

arachnids, and other arthropods.” La

Selvas ecological data sets in the tropics

have been around for 40+ years. Some

of the most common research themes done

in La selva would include; Forest dynamics

and nutrient cycling, forest succession,

global change and human-nature Species description

interactions, agroecology, and aquatic

ecosystems. La selva Is located 3 km al sur The habitat of the Cebus capuchin monkey

de Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Puerto Viejo is found in Central and South America,

de Sarapiqui, 41001, Costa Rica. specifically regions in Honduras, Nicaragua,

Costa Rica, and panama. The description of

their habitat grounds would be tropical

forests, primary and secondary forests, and

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 they reside on tree tops (animal mating season is approximately around the

diversity.org). They Cebus Capuchines are end of the dry season, and the beginning of

physically described to have a round head the rain season. The way that males attract

and are built stockily, their tails are harry females is by peeing on their hands and

and prehensile, and they have opposable rubbing it around their body as well as a

thumbs. They are 12-22 inches long and the variety of facial exchanges between male

tail is the same length as their body. They and females. The pregnancy lasts for 157-

can have dark brown hair, black hair and 167 days. Capuchines are known to live for

have white marks on their face, that are approximately 50 years. (primates in

individually unique to distinguish them from description, animal diversity.org)

other capuchins.

Cebus Capuchines are known to travel in

packs that are called troops. These troops are

groups of adults and the Data Collection

young capuchins as well. Capuchines are My research project involves observing a

omnivores. Their diet is based on a variety specific population, Capuchin mothers and

of fruit, leaves, seeds, berries, flowers, their offspring. In collecting data I went to a

insects, spiders, oysters, birds, small series of trails at la selva biological center. I

mammals, and eggs. took data on trails:

Capuchines are in predatory threat of boa SOR,SSE,CC,CCC,CCL,STR,SUR and

constrictors, jaguars, hawks and eagles. SES. When Cebus capuchin was found I

Capuchins are polygamous, meaning they collected proximity data. The proximity data

mate with more than one partner. Their was measured by close, medium, and far.

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 When proximity data was taken, scan data

was taken as well. The scan was measured

by 2 minutes. (Altman Paper)

Results

Data was collected at La selva biological Data collection was not successful in the 40

center. Data was observed and collected on a hours of field work in La Selva Biological

series of trails. My partner, Nate Birch, and I center, However though data was not

did a total of 40 hours of data collection. collected, Capuchin sightings were captured

While on the field in 1 of the 10 days of data in the touristic tours added onto my trip in

collection we spotted 4 capuchin monkeys Costa Rica. I was able to go on a mangrove

on trail CCL/CCC. The capuchins made tour in Manuel Antonio, and on our

their presence known by throwing sticks at mangrove tour we were able to catch a

us and jumping and showing their teeth. We sighting of a troop of capuchins. There were

observed their defensive behavior and tried a series of capuchin adolescents which were

designated a series of

“babysitters” that are sent to

watch the younger capuchins.

The adolescent capuchins

were granted more separation

to spot more capuchins but that is the only
from mothers. On a different day of my trip
siting we made, hence we were not able to
I was able to take a tour of the Manuel
collect data to test our hypothesisDiscussion

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Antonio National Park. On this tour we leading information to do more extensive

were able to sight a variety of mother research.

capuchin’s with their babies. The babies

were mounted on the mother's back,

however in this sighting the capuchin

mother was near the troop and not separated

as I hypothesized. Although on a day of data

collection at La Selva Biological Center

another peer from my research group was

able to sight a troop of capuchins and in her

sighting she claimed that the mother and

baby capuchin were separated and distant

from the group. This leads me to question if

Capuchin Mother behavior of the beach and

behavior more deep in the jungle changes

according to the environment. Though my

data was inconclusive I was able to capture

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 Literature cited

Access NCBI through the World Wide Web (WWW). (1995). Molecular Biotechnology,

3(1), 75-75. doi:10.1007/bf02821338

Dodd, K. (1970). Dipetalonema gracile in a capuchin monkey (Cebus capucinus).

Veterinary Record,87(18), 538-539. doi:10.1136/vr.87.18.538

Figure 2f from: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic revision of Rochefortia Sw.

(Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: E7720.

https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e7720. (n.d.). doi:10.3897/bdj.4.e7720.figure2f

Long, J. (n.d.). Cebus capucinus (white-faced capuchin). Retrieved from

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cebus_capucinus/

Pendari. (n.d.). Welcome. Retrieved from https://tropicalstudies.org/

Yurtoğlu, N. (2018). Http://www.historystudies.net/dergi//birinci-dunya-savasinda-bir-

asayis-sorunu-sebinkarahisar-ermeni-isyani20181092a4a8f.pdf. History Studies

International Journal of History,10(7), 241-264. doi:10.9737/hist.2018.658

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