The Blond capuchin (Sapajus flavius) is a species of the capuchin monkeys group to northeastern Brazil. They are concidered to be a critically endangered species.
The body hair of the Blond capuchin is almost uniformly golden-yellow with the notable exception of a whitish cap on the front half of the head. It has a pink-coloured face with light-brown eyes and a darkly-coloured, hairless throat flap on the ventral side of its neck. The hair on the feet and hands is much lighter compared to the rest of the coat, while the palms and soles of the feet are hairless and black. The hair on the head grows towards the posterior and is not tufted. Similar to other capuchin species, the length of the tail is nearly equivalent to the length of the head and body.
Blond capuchins inhabit the northeastern Atlantic Forest extended in the states of Paraíba, Pernambuco, and Alagoas in the northeastern part of Brazil. These monkeys live in tropical moist forests.
Blond capuchins are arboreal and usually occur in the lower and mid-canopy. They are social creatures that are active during the day and sleep at night. Blond capuchins live in groups that consist of around 18 individuals. There are more females in these groups than males and both, males and females take up linear hierarchies. The top ranking male is dominant to the top ranking female.
Blond capuchins are omnivorous animals. Their diest includes fruits, seeds, arthropods, frogs, nestlings and even small mammals. They also consume stems, leaves and flowers.
Little is known about the mating system and reproductive behavior of Blond capuchins.
Main threats to Blond capuchins include hunting for food and pets, the loss of the habitat and fragmentation due to coastal development and sugar cane.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of Blond capuchins is 180 individuals. Currently, this species’ numbers are decreasing and it is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List.
By feeding upon fruits and seeds, Blond capuchins act as important seed dispersers of their range, thus contributing to regeneration of the forest.
