Capuchin monkeys are some of the most interesting primates of the animal kingdom. It is highly likely that the first time a person encountered a capuchin monkey is not in person, but in a comedy movie featuring a capuchin as the main character’s comedic sidekick or pet. Some people may even adopt capuchins monkeys to raise as pets since they are highly intelligent animals with the ability to be taught skills and instructions. However, researchers often discourage this since capuchin monkeys require a significant amount of supervision and safety precautions, even with the precautions capuchins may be able to harm themselves or others. As a result, the capuchin monkey is my favorite primate. Capuchin monkeys New World monkeys belonging to the
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In 2003, Sarah Brosnan, a biology Ph. D. candidate at Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Living Links Center at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia designed an experiment to test whether brown capuchins have the ability to recognize and reject unfairness (Markey). Brosnan performed her test by placing a pair of monkeys in a room with human handlers. They are trained to trade a piece of granite with the handler for an award, most of the time a snack like a piece of vegetable. However, sometimes their second capuchin received a better treat then the first capuchin for performing the same job, sometimes no work at all. Brosnan observed that in retaliation the first capuchin often refused to cooperate with their handlers until they were fairly compensated for their labor (Markley). These reactions revealed to Brosnan that capuchins expect to be treated fairly and also equally in context of their peers. This is a very advanced humanistic desire with an evolutionary basis. In 2015, Professor Susan Perry of UCLA published her data that she collected by observing and researching capuchin monkeys across the jungles of Costa Rica (Renaud). Perry calls her research, “The Lomas Barbudal Capuchin Monkey Project.” The goal of her project is to learn more about the social capabilities of white-faced capuchins, Cebus
In 2003, Sarah Brosnan, a biology Ph. D. candidate at Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Living Links Center at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia designed an experiment to test whether brown capuchins have the ability to recognize and reject unfairness (Markey). Brosnan performed her test by placing a pair of monkeys in a room with human handlers. They are trained to trade a piece of granite with the handler for an award, most of the time a snack like a piece of vegetable. However, sometimes their second capuchin received a better treat then the first capuchin for performing the same job, sometimes no work at all. Brosnan observed that in retaliation the first capuchin often refused to cooperate with their handlers until they were fairly compensated for their labor (Markley). These reactions revealed to Brosnan that capuchins expect to be treated fairly and also equally in context of their peers. This is a very advanced humanistic desire with an evolutionary basis. In 2015, Professor Susan Perry of UCLA published her data that she collected by observing and researching capuchin monkeys across the jungles of Costa Rica (Renaud). Perry calls her research, “The Lomas Barbudal Capuchin Monkey Project.” The goal of her project is to learn more about the social capabilities of white-faced capuchins, Cebus