Range:

South central and northern half of South America.

Habitat:

Chiefly tropical rain forest, also gallery forest and forest patches in savanna.

Characteristics:

Crest of long, white hairs from forehead to nape flowing over the shoulders. The back is brown, and the underparts, arms and legs are whitish-yellow. Rump and inner thighs are reddish-orange.

 

Behavior:

The cotton-top tamarins usually live in groups of 8-13 individuals. Active from sunrise to sunset, they spend a large portion of their activity time foraging for animal prey, searching through leaves and along branches, and peering and reaching into holes and crevices in branches and tree trunks. They sleep in bushy vegetation. When alarmed or excited, these tamarins raise the hair on the crown of their head and stand up tall to make themselves look bigger. For communication, cotton-top tamarins whistle a shrill sound. Their alarm calls can be very loud.

Reproduction:

Mating season: January-February, and birth of usually 2 offspring occurs in April-June. The female carries her young for 1-2 weeks before letting the male take over. The young become independent at 2 1/2 months and sexually mature in 18-24 months.

 

Conservation Connection:

Cotton-top tamarins once lived in many tropical forests of South America. During the 1960's and 1970's their use for medical research severely reduced their numbers. Today, like many other animals, these tamarins are losing their habitat to deforestation. As a result, their population continues to decline. Zoos and other wildlife organizations are working hard to conserve this species.