White-headed Capuchin - Distribution and Habitat

Distribution and Habitat

The white-headed capuchin is found in much of Central America and a small portion of South America. In Central America, its range includes much of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. It has also been reported to occur in eastern Guatemala and southern Belize, but these reports are unconfirmed. In South America the white-headed capuchin is found in the extreme north-western strip between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains in Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. It is among the most commonly seen monkeys in Central America's national parks, such as Manuel Antonio National Park, Corcovado National Park, Santa Rosa National Park and Soberania National Park.

It should also be noted that while it is very common in Costa Rica and Panama, the monkey has been largely extirpated from Honduras and much of Nicaragua. Many Honduran Capuchins were captured and relocated to the island of Roatán, and many Nicaraguan Capuchins were captured and relocated to the island of Ometepe. In Nicaragua, wild Capuchins may still be easily spotted in regions around Masaya, as well as around Bluefields and other locations around the South Caribbean coast. The monkey can also be observed near the Costa Rican border along the San Juan River, and in Kahka Creek Rainforest Preserve.

It is found in many different types of forest, including mature and secondary forests, and including evergreen and deciduous forests, dry and moist forests, and mangrove and montane forests. However, it appears to prefer primary or advanced secondary forests. Also, higher densities of white-headed capuchins are found in older areas of forest and in areas containing evergreen forest, as well as areas with more water availability during the dry season.