Terra Natura the animal and Nature Park in Benidorm, are celebrating the birth of a baby Capuchin monkey (Cebus Apella Apella). The little one weighing only 200 grams never leaves its mother for an instant and travels around the enclosure clinging to her stomach. From this position the newborn can feed on demand as nature intended.
It is normal for this species of primate that the mother takes care of the young alone, male capuchins rarely take part in caring for the young. The birth went smoothly with no complications during the night. Keepers found the newborn in perfect health alongside its mother the following morning.
The gestation period was 160 days and this birth was the 10th healthy Capuchin born in Terra Natura Benidorm.
Like all mammals the newborn will breastfeed and later with its mothers help include fruit, vegetables, eggs and some meet until it is completely weaned.
When the young is one year old it will start to become independent. In the wild the males usually leave the group when they reach sexual maturity at approximately six years of age. Females on the other hand remain in the group all their lives.
At the moment the young monkey is being introduced to group who is showing great interest and are trying to touch him and pick him up.
This species is considered one of the most intelligent primates from Central America. They are very sociable animals that are considered to be endangered according to the Red List of Threatened Species that was created in 1963 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Exbenidorm
