Monkeys are often mischievous creatures when they’re transplanted into or near to human settlements. You can’t really blame them, we tend to leave food and belongings lying around, and they tend to be curious in nature, so it can result in some human-monkey clashes.

In Puerto Misahualli, Ecuador there is such a troop of monkeys. They are critically endangered Ecuadorian white-faced capuchin monkeys to be precise, although guides and travellers who don’t know better often call them squirrel monkeys. Puerto Misahualli is near Tena, on the edge of the Amazon rainforest. If you venture further into the Amazon you’ll likely encounter other monkeys, including squirrel monkeys.

Anyhow, these 20 or so Ecuadorian capuchin monkeys in Puerto Misahualli mostly hang out in some trees that line a central park and nearby restaurants. Occasionally they’ll run along power lines or roofs of buildings. If you’re not paying attention they may grab some food or small objects form you too, including being bold enough to run into some restaurants to grab food, so keep a watchful eye!

I think this guy was keeping a watchful eye on me too. I suppose these monkeys are now semi-wild. They’re more than free to leave the town, and there are bigger, better trees outside of town to live in – but I guess life is good when tourists stop by and become easy targets for free food. It all started many years ago, decades ago actually, when some wild ones began to come into town to raid houses and shops for food. Eventually the entire troop of monkeys caught on and have been here ever since.