Cabo Matapalo, Costa Rica – We had some Christmas visitors today. Actually, this troop of capuchin monkeys passes through the treetops in front of our rental everyday, and we love to watch them swing from branch to branch.
Today we were eating lunch on the patio, which (apparently) attracted their attention, so they were friendlier than usual. Capuchins can be quite aggressive, actually, so when they started getting too close for comfort, we sent Twin V to scare them away. He jumped up and ran toward them, waving his arms and whooping it up.
That plan backfired.
This guy must have felt threatened by V’s sudden movement and loud noise, but he did not back off. Instead, he scurried out on the line to get closer to our table, bearing his teeth and scolding us all the way. (V quickly retreated to the safety of the house.)
Now, Daddio got his chance to show off his expertise in animal behavior. All he had to do was silently stand up, revealing himself in his full size (which is much bigger than V), and stare down the monkey. Mr Capuchin warily backed himself up and returned to his troop, never taking his eyes off his untrustworthy audience.
And then they were gone. So that’s how you get rid of unwanted holiday visitors: stand tall and silently stare at them. You’re welcome.
Merry Christmas, monkeys! We hope you come back to visit again, just not so close!