Capuchin monkeys are highly intelligent New World primates whose welfare in captivity requires exceptional cognitive enrichment, complex social environments, and protection from the exotic pet trade.
Capuchin welfare in zoos demands the highest standards of cognitive and social enrichment for any New World primate. Their intelligence — approaching that of great apes in some tasks — means a cognitively impoverished environment causes genuine psychological suffering through boredom and frustration. Complex foraging puzzles, novel problem-solving tasks, and varied enrichment schedules maintain behavioral diversity. Their social complexity requires stable group composition with compatible individuals and sufficient space for individuals to manage their own social interactions. The service animal use of capuchins is ethically contested — animals trained to assist disabled humans develop relationships but are also removed from species-appropriate social environments. Zoo populations contribute to conservation education about the exotic pet trade threat.