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Prospect Park Zoo News
At the Zoo: Big Hair from Brazil
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©WCS
| Two golden lion tamarin brothers are turning heads in their new home at the Prospect Park Zoo. These tiny monkeys tip the scales at less than 25 ounces—and most of that weight seems to be hair. The tamarins’ well-groomed, bright orange manes resemble those of their much larger namesake, but the resemblance stops there.
Omnivores, golden lion tamarins feed primarily on fruits and insects. In their native Brazil, they live in tropical rainforests along the Atlantic coast. Once, a vast forest stretched from the coast to the inland mountain range of Serra do Mar. Now, however, the coasts are heavily populated and much of the forest has been destroyed. At one point, due to drastic habitat loss, more golden lion tamarins lived in zoos than in the wild. Successful captive breeding programs—including one at the Bronx Zoo—have reintroduced some 150 individuals into the wild, but the species remains highly endangered. Approximately 1500 golden lion tamarins now live in the Brazilian forests, mostly in or near a reserve in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
The new residents—the first of their kind at the Prospect Park Zoo—are both about three years old and hail from the Atlanta Zoo. In the future, the brothers will have a female companion as the Zoo begins a breeding program for the tamarins. For now, the inquisitive pair can be found exploring their habitat in the Animal Lifestyles exhibit.
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