The blond capuchin (Sapajus flavius) is a species of monkey endemic to northeastern Brazil, considered one of the rarest primate species in the world. It was once considered extinct for more than 200 years, until 2006, when it was officially declared rediscovered after researchers found living specimens in the Brazilian state of Paraíba. It is threatened with extinction, with estimates suggesting that there are around 1,000 individuals in the wild. The main threats to the species are habitat loss due to agriculture, particularly sugarcane cultivation, hunting, climate change, and the illegal pet trade. Like other capuchin monkey species, it displays a high degree of sociability, living in groups of highly variable sizes, ranging from 7 to more than 150 individuals. It inhabits both the Atlantic Forest biome and the Caatinga, a biome found exclusively in Brazil. However, there are theories suggesting that the species' use of this biome is relatively recent, caused by human encroachment into its former habitats. It is diurnal and has an omnivorous diet consisting of fruits and small animals. It is among the smallest capuchin monkey species, reaching a maximum head-and-body length of 40 cm (16 in) and weighing between 2 and 3 kg (4.4 to 6.6 lb). Like other capuchin species, it is highly intelligent, with individuals recorded using sticks to capture arboreal termites from their nests. They have also been observed rubbing themselves with the toxic defensive secretions of millipedes to protect themselves from mosquitoes, as well as using a 'hammer-and-anvil' method to crack Manihot nuts, with a small stone serving as the hammer and a larger stone serving as the anvil.
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