Golden Lion-Headed Tamarin

(Leontopithecus chrysopygus)

Judith Wolfe    Golden Lion-Headed Tamarin

Zoo collection includes: Two, a male and a female.

Found in the wild: Atlantic coast of Brazil. These beauties were discovered in Brazil only as recently as 1990.

See Them at the Central Park Zoo: As you exit the Tropical Rain Forest look for CPZ's pair in the windowed enclosure.

Description: The golden-headed lion tamarin has black fur over its entire body except for on its head and mane, where the fur is a light to deep golden color. It also has golden fur on part of its tail, hands, feet, and forearms. Males and females are about the same size and weight. They have claw-like nails instead of flat nails as seen in humans and other primates, and the tendency to give birth to twins.

Zoo Habitat: Their enclosure has lots of space for climbing, hiding and foraging. They also have a private next box to take grooming breaks.

What do they eat:  Golden-headed lion tamarins are primarily frugivrous and over 70% of their diet is made up of ripe fruits. They also eat animal prey, such as insects and small vertebrates, nectars, and occasionally they are seen eating flowers. Their territory boundaries are marked using scent glands located on the chest and genital areas. CPZ feeds them a primate diet and fruit.

Life span: Early 20’s in captivity.

Threats: Severely endangered because of habitat loss and illegal capture. There are only about 200 golden-headed lion tamarins in the wild.

Fun Facts: They live in family groups started by a mated pair and numbering up to eight animals. Lion tamarins are active for about nine to 12 hours per day, starting their day between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. They utilize tree cavities as sleeping sites and the entire group sleeps and leaves the nest site together in the morning. Tamarins often express their friendship for each other by sitting in a huddle and grooming one another. They produce a range of calls ticks, clucks and whines that are used to communicate with other group members and from time to time with neighbouring groups.