I was the platforms field assistant working at the Capuchinos de Taboga fieldsite. I arrived at Taboga in August 2023 after working with rhesus macaques in Puerto Rico and howler monkeys in Costa Rica. I helped conduct cognition experiments on wild white-faced capuchins, collected behavioral data and biological samples, organized individual and group life history, and assisted with managerial camp duties.

I learned something new about the forest every day. One of my favorite pastimes was watching the capuchins’ social interactions play out.