Found only in a small region of the eastern Amazon in Brazil, this little-known capuchin monkey is a quiet symbol of the hidden biodiversity of South America’s forests. Unlike its more famous cousins—like the white-faced capuchins that you see in wildlife documentaries or even movies—the Kaapori capuchin lives in isolation and silence, far from human view, and is still something of a mystery to science.

Physically, the Kaapori capuchin is small and lightly built, with a pale face, a tufted head, and a coat of light brown or golden fur, sometimes with a slight reddish or grayish tinge depending on the individual. It has a prehensile tail that it uses like a fifth limb for climbing, balancing, and even hanging as it moves through the trees. Like all capuchins, it has clever hands and a high level of intelligence, but it’s far more discreet and cautious than its more social relatives.

One thing that sets the Kaapori capuchin apart is its incredibly limited range. It lives in a very specific part of the eastern Brazilian Amazon, especially in the eastern Pará and western Maranhão states—an area heavily impacted by deforestation and logging. Because of its shy behavior and preference for the tallest, most intact forest, it avoids degraded or fragmented habitats, making it especially vulnerable to human disturbance.

The Kaapori capuchin was only officially described as a species in 1992, making it one of the more recent additions to our catalog of known primates. Even now, much of what we know about it comes from scattered field observations and camera trap studies. It’s a reminder of how much of the Amazon’s biodiversity is still waiting to be fully understood—and how quickly it can disappear.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Brazil

CR

2015

Pará, Maranhão