What does the Capuchin monkey use as insect repellent?
The Capuchin (Sapajus apella) is an arboreal (tree-living) primate in the Cebidae family of monkeys, with a long, thick, prehensile tail.
The Capuchin is diurnal, which means that it is active during the day. It feeds during the day on fruit, as well as small animals that it finds on the ground.
It lives in the rainforests of South America. Rainforests are in hot, humid locations. Mosquitoes, and many other insects, live in rainforests because they like heat and moisture.
The Capuchin monkey crushes millipedes and centipedes that live in leaf litter on the ground and rubs the mixture on its back. The crushed mixture is smelly and acts like a natural insect repellent.
Location of photograph: Parc Zoologique de Paris in Bois de Vincennes, France
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM