Golden lion tamarin
Leontopithecus rosalia
The golden lion tamarin has long and thin fingers with which it can easily dig food out of bark and crevices in trees. The mother often gives birth to twins, and the father and older siblings help to care for them.
The endangerment situation of the golden lion tamarin has improved from that of a few decades back as monkeys born in zoos have been released into the wild. Today, the wild population is about 1 500 individuals. The territories of the species are still threatened by logging and agriculture around the metropoles of Brazil.
Conservation
The golden lion tamarin and the individuals living in Korkeasaari Zoo are part of an ex-situ conservation programme by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria EAZA, known as the EEP. The aim of the EEP is to maintain a healthy zoo population of the species.
The species is part of the CITES convention, which regulates the international trade of endangered or threatened animals and plants.
Tropical house Amazonia
EAZA Ex-situ Programme
Endangerment classification
Distribution
Habitat
Diet
Size
Lifespan
Up to 8 years
Scientific classification
Order: Primates
Family: Callitrichinadea