Capuchin monkeys are among the most cognitively sophisticated primates and require highly complex social and environmental enrichment to maintain psychological well-being in captivity.
Capuchin monkeys have exceptional cognitive abilities and correspondingly complex welfare needs. In zoos with inadequate social groups or barren environments, they develop chronic stress responses, stereotypic behaviors, and pathological self-directed behaviors. Best-practice facilities house capuchins in stable social groups with varied, complex environments that support tool use, food manipulation, social learning, and exploration. The challenge of long lifespans means welfare failures accumulate over decades and require sustained institutional commitment.