Lion tamarin

Lion tamarins are small, endangered monkeys in the genus Leontopithecus, native to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Their long, silky manes frame their faces and give the genus its name.

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Golden lion tamarin: A lion tamarin species with a vivid orange-gold coat, native to lowland forests in Rio de Janeiro state. Its golden mane is the best-known example of the genus’s distinctive appearance.
Gouging foraging: A feeding method in which animals use claws to pry into crevices and expose hidden prey or plant foods. Lion tamarins use their long fingers and claws to search bark, bromeliads, and other tight spaces.
Leontopithecus: A genus of small callitrichid monkeys endemic to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Lion tamarins are the four living species classified in this genus.
Atlantic Forest deforestation: The conversion and degradation of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest through agriculture, urban growth, and other land uses. Habitat loss has isolated lion tamarin populations and reduced available territory.
Golden-headed lion tamarin: A lion tamarin species with a golden head and limbs and a dark body, native to southern Bahia. Its contrasting colors distinguish this Atlantic Forest species from its close relatives.
Lion tamarin diet: The foods eaten by lion tamarins, including fruit, insects, small vertebrates, and plant exudates. Their varied diet lets them exploit food scattered through different forest microhabitats.
Callitrichidae: A primate family that includes marmosets and tamarins, mostly small-bodied New World monkeys. This family provides the broader evolutionary group to which lion tamarins belong.
Habitat fragmentation: The division of continuous habitat into smaller, separated patches by human activity or natural change. Fragmentation restricts dispersal and can leave lion tamarin groups isolated in forest remnants.
Black lion tamarin: A mostly black lion tamarin native to forest remnants in western São Paulo state. Its dark coat shows the genus’s variation beyond golden and reddish manes.
Lion tamarin social structure: The organization of lion tamarin groups, typically including a breeding pair and related helpers. Cooperative care and group living influence how offspring survive.