Binghamton Zoo Animals

Golden Lion Tamarin

(Leontopithecus rosalia)
Order: Primates
Family: Cebidae
Genus: Leontopithecus
Species: L. rosalia

HABITAT AND RANGE: Each tamarin family occupies an area of about 100 acres of tropical rainforest. The area is carefully marked by both sexes with a honey like musk produced by chest and genital glands.

At one time golden lion tamarins could be found in the lowland rainforests of southeastern Brazil within the States of: Bahia, Esperito Santo, Guanabara, Sao Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. !law they are restricted to the coastal mountain regions from the southern part of Esperito Santo to the western part of the State of Rio de Janeiro; an area of about 900 sq. Km.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: A golden lion tamarin's dark gray, almost hairless face is ringed by a halo of silky golden-red fur and punctuated by small tufted ears (often concealed by the nine), and large brown eyes. In the sun drenched jungle canopy, filled with brightly colored flowers and fruit, the tamarin's golden coat serves as camouflage. Perhaps their relatively small size ( a head and body length of 13.3- 15.6" and weight of just 22.2 -25 oz.) also helps them to avoid detection.

ADAPTATIONS: Like other primates, tamarins can leap from branch to branch with unbelievable speed and agility. Their long, narrow hands and feet, and extremely elongated fingers (just as long as their forearms) allow them to grasp branches firmly, while the 12" long tail assists with balance. Tamarins are generally found in the middle to upper layers (3-10 meters off the ground) of the forest canopy. They prefer dense spinney vegetation that apparently serves as protection from predators (snakes, birds of prey, and man). Although tamarins are diurnal, during the hottest part of the day they will retreat to areas of dense foliage in order to stay. out of the sun. At night, when looking for a place in which to sleep, tamarins seek tree cavities or crevices.

Tamarins utter 17 different types of vocalizations. Trills seem to be associated with solo activity, clucks with foraging, long calls with vigilance and whines for contact.

DIET: A tamarin's favorite dining spot is created by bromeliads, a spinney pineapple-like plant that grows high an the trunks of rainforest trees. The uppermost leaves of the bromeliad form a cup that holds a small reservoir of rainwater, which harbors the tamarin's favorite food of insects and other invertebrates. In the wild, tamarins also eat fruit, flowers, plant gum , nectar, frogs, lizards and snails.

Ross Park Zoo tamarins are fed: Fruit, eggs, mealworms, crickets, muse pups, and a commercially prepared food called marmoset diet.

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: After a 125-133 day gestation period, monogamous tamarins produce 1-2 litters during the September - March birthing season. Immediately after birth the young (usually twins), which look like tiny, lighter replicas of the parents, climb up onto their mother and cling to her back or hindquarters. Every two hours, they climb over to her chest for their 15 minute nursing session. After 4-10 days the father takes over infant care, only returning the babies to their mother to nurse.

When the young are ready for solid food the father prepares it by squeezing it between his fingers. Apparently this makes it easier for the young to digest. The young my become independent at 3-5 months, but my still return to the parent's fur in case of danger or when seeking a warm place to sleep. Although male tamarins are sexually mature at 24 months and females at 18 months, tamarins often remain living in family groups for an extended period of time. It is not uncommon to see groups of up to 8 individuals (an adult pair and offspring from three litters) together. Even juvenile tamarins past the age of 4 have been seen begging and receiving food from their parents. These youngsters are usually tolerated for they assist with the care of younger siblings. However, there does come a time (not necessarily correlated with the youths' sexual maturity) when they are no longer tolerated; and golden lion tamarins can be extremely aggressive to each other. Tamarins live an average of 10 years in the wild, and have lived 15 years in

STATUS IN WILD: At one time golden lion tamarins could be found in Brazil throughout a 1,000 mile long belt of lowland rain-forest, bordered by the Atlantic coast and the Sierra del Mar Mountains. However, over the years, habitat destruction has made the tamarins one of the rarest mammals in the world. Even now Brazilian rainforests lose about 40,000 sq. miles (an area about the size of Pennsylvania) each year. Already 98% of the forests the tamarins depend on have been cut. In 1978 the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) listed the golden lion tamarin as endangered. The USDI (United States Department of Interior) followed suit in 1980.

In spite of all the habitat destruction, thanks in part to efforts by the Brazilian government, conservation groups, and many zoos, the golden lion tamarin may be on the comeback trail. To date (March 1990) 67 golden lion tarmarins have been released in various localities as part of a species survival plan program. A 12,000 acre preserve se aside by the Brazilian government has been a prime release site.