White-Faced Monkeys in Costa Rica: Where to See Capuchins

White-faced monkeys, also called white-faced capuchins, are the monkeys visitors see most often in Costa Rica. They live in forests across most of the country, from the dry northwest to the Caribbean coast. The easiest places to see them are Manuel Antonio, Carara, Corcovado, Santa Rosa and Tortuguero national parks, usually in the morning and late afternoon. They’re bold and clever, which also means they’ll grab food and open bags. Watch from a distance, and never feed them.

This guide is for travelers who want to see white-faced monkeys in Costa Rica and know what they’re looking at. It covers how to recognize them, where to go, how they behave and how to watch them safely.

Identify

How to Recognize a White-Faced Monkey

Costa Rica has four monkey species: the white-faced capuchin, the mantled howler monkey, the Central American spider monkey and the Central American squirrel monkey. The capuchin is easy to pick out:

• Color: a black body and tail with a pale face, throat, chest and shoulders.
• Size: medium, larger than a squirrel monkey and much smaller and stockier than a spider monkey.
• Tail: often curled at the tip and used for grip, but not as a true fifth hand like a spider monkey’s.
• Behavior: busy and noisy, moving through the trees in groups, flipping leaves and breaking open branches in search of food.

Howler monkeys are all dark and much slower, and you’ll usually hear their deep roars before you see them. See our Costa Rica wildlife guide for the other species.

Where to go

Where to See White-Faced Monkeys in Costa Rica

Capuchins live in most of Costa Rica’s lowland and mid-elevation forests, and any well-protected park in their range gives you a good chance. These are the most reliable:

• Manuel Antonio National Park: troops move through the forest behind the beaches and are used to people, sometimes too used to them. Book tickets ahead and keep bags closed. See our Manuel Antonio guide.
• Carara National Park: short, flat trails near Jacó with capuchins, squirrel monkeys and scarlet macaws. See our Carara guide.
• Corcovado National Park: all four monkey species live here, and guided hikes to Sirena or San Pedrillo often find capuchins. See our Corcovado guide.
• Santa Rosa National Park and Guanacaste’s dry forests: in the dry season, bare trees make monkeys easier to spot, and Santa Rosa is a long-term capuchin research site. See our Santa Rosa guide.
• Tortuguero National Park: boat tours along the canals often pass capuchins and howlers in the trees along the water. See our guide to getting to Tortuguero.
• Monteverde: capuchins also live in the cloud forest, though sightings are less predictable than in the lowland parks. See our Monteverde guide.

You’ll also see capuchins outside parks, around beach towns and rural hotels near forest. The month-by-month wildlife calendar can help you plan.

Behavior

How White-Faced Monkeys Live

Capuchins live in mixed groups led by a dominant male, who usually fathers most of the young. Females stay in the group they’re born into, alongside their female relatives, while males leave and move between groups several times in their lives.

They eat mostly fruit, plus insects, eggs and small animals such as lizards, baby birds and squirrels, which they hunt. They’re known for clever, hands-on foraging: stripping bark, breaking open dead branches for insects and rubbing crushed leaves and fruit, including citrus, into their fur, possibly to keep parasites away. Researchers have studied wild capuchins in Costa Rica’s dry forests for decades.

Groups are most active in the morning and late afternoon. They often rest during the hottest part of the day and sleep in tall trees at night.

Conservation

Are White-Faced Monkeys Endangered?

The IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable. The main threats are forest loss, the illegal pet trade, hunting and conflict with farmers. Costa Rica’s parks protect a large share of their habitat, which is one reason they’re so easy to see here. Keeping wild animals as pets and feeding wildlife are both illegal in Costa Rica. See our guide to the hunting ban and wildlife rules.

Watch safely

Tips for Seeing White-Faced Monkeys Safely

• Never feed them. Human food makes them sick and aggressive, and feeding wildlife is an offense.
• Guard your bags. Capuchins open zippers and grab food, phones and sunglasses, especially at Manuel Antonio’s beaches. Keep bags closed and close at hand.
• Keep your distance. Don’t try to touch or approach them. Back away calmly if one comes toward you, and don’t stare at it.
• Get medical care for any bite or scratch. Wash it well with soap and water and see a doctor the same day.
• Go early and walk quietly. Listen for rustling branches and dropped fruit.
• Bring binoculars or hire a guide; guides know where troops feed. See our compact binoculars guide.

FAQ

White-Faced Monkeys in Costa Rica: FAQ