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“The Lomas Barbudal Capuchin
Monkey Project”
The Lomas Barbudal Monkey Project was founded in 1990 by Susan Perry,
with the help of Joseph Manson and Julie Gros-Louis, for the purpose of
studying social intelligence in the white-faced capuchin, Cebus capucinus. In the past 17
years of almost continuous observation, the Lomas Barbudal capuchins have
become one of the most intensively studied wild monkey population in the
world. Capuchins, a New World primate, are particularly good models for
many human traits because they have developed many important features
that warrant explanation (e.g. large brain size, social traditions,
lethal coalitionary aggression, complex social relationships and social
cognition, tool use, food sharing, extensive cooperation) independently
of humans and the other great apes.
Capuchins are skilled extractive foragers, and social influence guides
their adoption of particular foraging strategies. White-faced capuchins
are known particularly for their propensity to develop unique, culturally
variable bond-testing rituals. The Lomas Barbudal monkey project has
focused its research most intensively on questions regarding social
dynamics, communication, social traditions, and development.
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