Tamarins in the Wild

golden lion tamarins

At least 200 golden lion tamarins were in the wild in the early 1970s. Following intensive conservation efforts they were upgraded from critically endangered to endangered in 2003. The golden lion Tamarins were raised in human care and are one-third of the wild population today.

Description

Tamarin species vary considerably in appearance from almost all black to mixtures of black brown and white. Many species have facial hairs that are Mustache-like. Their body size is between 13 and 30 cm and they weigh between.

Predators

birds

The tamarins must be on high alert. They are an easy target for birds, snakes, and mammals due to their small size.

Tamarin

Tamarins callitrichidae

The Callitrichidae family of monkeys includes the tamarins. The sister group of a clade formed by lions, Goeldi’s monkeys and marmosets are the first ones in the Callitrichidae tree.

Taxonomy and evolutionary history

The tamarins branched off from the other callitrichids 15 million years ago. Six species groups are historically recognised within this clade.

Distribution

The tamarins are from southern Central America to central South America. They are found in the Amazon basin and the Guianas.

Behavior and reproduction

Cottontop tamarins breed in the wild. The tamarins are omnivores, eating fruits and other plant parts as well as spiders, insects, small vertebrates and bird eggs. The subgenus Leontocebus and the subgenus Sanguinus share a similar back hair. They have longer and narrower hands. They are more likely to look for insects hidden in crevices and knotholes.


Posted

in

,

by

Comments

Leave a Reply