Download GOLDEN LION TAMARIN Scientific name – Leontopithecus rosalia

GOLDEN LION TAMARIN
Scientific name – Leontopithecus rosalia
Background
Known as lion tamarins because of their fine mane of hair, these
miniature monkeys have lost all but 2-5% of their original habitat in
Brazil. This is made up of forest fragments, each one too small to
sustain a viable population, and therefore without careful management
they could eventually all die out.
The critically endangered golden lion tamarin was bred for the first time
at Durrell’s Jersey headquarters in 1980. Shortly afterwards, it was
established that there were actually more golden lion tamarins living in
captivity than in the wild, and one of the first primate reintroduction
programmes commenced. The importance of preparing the monkeys
for a very different life to is critical to the success of the release
programme and therefore since 1990, groups of the various species of tamarins and marmosets cared for
by Durrell have learned how to thrive in a complex habitat, such as a rainforest, by living free in our
woods. Ongoing work in Brazil involves further reintroductions of captive-bred golden lion tamarins,
studies of them in the wild, local education and training as well as habitat protection and restoration.
Species classification
The New World monkeys of the family
Callitrichidae are found in Central and South
America and are commonly known as
marmosets and tamarins. These diminutive
primates are sub-divided into 6 groups or
‘genera’: Cebuella (pygmy marmosets), Mico
and Callithrix (marmosets), Saguinus and
Leontopithecus
(tamarins)
and
Callimico
(Goeldi’s monkey – an evolutionarily distinct
species). Representative species of all these
genera, except the pygmy marmosets, are cared
for at Durrell’s Jersey headquarters. The lion
tamarins of the genus Leontopithecus consist of
only 4 species and of these Durrell cares for 3 of
them: the golden lion tamarin, black lion tamarin
and golden-headed lion tamarin. The fourth is
the black-faced lion tamarin, which was only
discovered in 1990. The classification or
‘taxonomy’ of the Callitrichidae is constantly
changing as a result of new research and the
discovery of further species.
The callitrichids, with the exception of Goeldi’s
monkey, have fewer teeth than other New World
monkeys, 32 as opposed to 36. The ancestral
primate nails on their toes and fingers have
evolved into claws on all but their big toes, so
that they can climb trees in a squirrel-like
fashion and forage in various substrates (trees,
lianas, bromeliads) to catch invertebrate prey.
The feature that distinguishes marmosets from
tamarins is their lower incisor teeth. Those of
marmosets are as large as their canines, which
makes it easier for them to gouge holes in tree
bark and tap into the nutritious sap that the lies
beneath.
Description
The golden lion tamarin has long silky yelloworange hair, which may be very dark orange-red
in some individuals, and forms a mane around
its head. The fingers of golden lion tamarins are
long and dextrous, as are those of the other lion
tamarin species, and their eyes are brown, set in
a pink or brown face with sparse hairs (they can
get sun-tans just like humans!). Adults weigh
about 550-700g (19½-25oz), with a body length
of 25-33cm (10-13in) and tail length of 33-40cm
(13-15½in). Tamarins usually live up to 15-20
years in captivity.
Distribution and habitat
The only place that golden lion tamarins are
found in the wild is a very small area of forest in
southeastern Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro State,
where they live in lowland coastal Atlantic forest
with an annual rainfall of about 160cm (63in).
The altitude of their distribution is usually from
sea level to about 300m (984ft). Three of the 4
lion tamarin species live in this coastal forest
habitat, which is ecologically different from that
of the black lion tamarin further inland. The dry
season in the coastal forest is from May to July,
and epiphytes (plants that grow on trees, such
as bromeliads) are more abundant than in the
inland forest. The 4 species of lion tamarin are
restricted to separate areas of Brazil’s Atlantic
forest and there is no evidence that they have
been connected in historic times. The golden
lion tamarin is largely confined to the Poço das
Antas Biological Reserve - a protected area in
Rio de Janeiro State.
Golden lion tamarin species factsheet. © Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, July 2006, photograph credit: XXXX
Feeding habits
The golden lion tamarins normally live in the
middle to lower forest canopy (5-10m from the
ground), using interlacing branches, vines and
epiphytes for food and shelter, and habitually
sleep at night in tree holes. They are active by
day and are arboreal, but may descend to the
ground to forage in the leaf litter for animal prey,
although this is rare in the wild. Their specialised
hands have very long, slender fingers and
strong claws that are used to catch mobile food
items. They probe crevices and pull off bark to
find tasty morsels. The diet of the golden lion
tamarin consists of invertebrates (e.g. insects,
spiders), fruit, flowers, nectar, gum/sap, small
vertebrates (e.g. rodents, birds, frogs, lizards)
and sometimes eggs. The proportions of these
different food types that are consumed vary
seasonally; for instance, the diet includes the
greatest amount of fruit in the wet season, when
the most is available. Golden lion tamarins are
recorded to eat around 40 different kinds of fruit,
which comprise around 80% of their overall diet.
All group members may help care for the young
from 1-3 weeks after birth; this involves food
sharing, carrying, grooming and play. Indeed,
the subordinate females in a group are often
‘sexually suppressed’ and prevented from
breeding by the dominant female, but gain
experience with infants by assisting in
babysitting duties. Infants are fully weaned at
about 3 months of age and are sexually mature
at 18-24 months, after which time they usually
disperse from their family group.
Breeding and social behaviour
Golden lion tamarin social structure and group
size is variable, but compared with the black lion
tamarin, which lives in inland forest habitat,
group sizes tend to be larger, between 2 and 16,
with the average being 6 tamarins per group.
The golden lion tamarins also have much
smaller home ranges (20-40ha/50-100acres)
and day ranges (distance travelled in a day:
about 1500m/4900ft). This is because food is
more plentiful in the coastal forest, so larger
groups can be supported and they do not have
to move as far to find it. Golden lion tamarins,
like all tamarins, are highly territorial, and adults
of both sexes use scent from glands on their
chest and genitals to mark out their territories.
Groups may consist of an adult male, adult
female and several offspring from successive
births. Some may have more than one breeding
male or female, and also sub-adults that have
joined from other groups. Members of a group
stay in close contact in the dense forest by shrill
chirruping and whistling calls. Vocalisations are
also used to ward off intruders into a group’s
territory and upon hearing calls from a
neighbouring group, tamarins increase their
level of scent marking, which they also do after
heavy rain.
Lion tamarins are the most endangered of the
callitrichids because of where they live. They are
in the most direct competition with humans, as
their natural habitat (primary lowland forest in
southeastern Brazil) is preferred for agricultural
development in this densely populated region.
The coastal Atlantic rainforest that the golden
lion tamarins call home has been all but
destroyed. Only 2-5% remains, and this is made
up of tiny fragments, which means that many
small groups of tamarins are isolated from
others by forest clearings. Because of this lack
of movement between groups, and loss of
potential mates or ‘new blood’, some groups
may die out in years to come. The fragile wild
population, currently totalling just 1000 tamarins,
will then be further reduced.
The mating season takes place in the dry
season between May and July and some 130
days (4½ months) later, between September
and March, twins are usually born (although
singletons and triplets do occur). In years where
the wet season brings an especially high
abundance of fruit, 2 sets of infants are possible.
Conservation status
The golden lion tamarin is currently classified as
Critically Endangered by the World Conservation
Union (IUCN), which means that it faces an
extremely high risk of extinction in the very near
future. Since 1975 it has also been listed under
Appendix I of CITES (the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora). This affords the species
the highest degree of protection against any
international trade.
In the wild
Nearly 150 captive-bred golden lion tamarins
have now been released into protected forest in
Brazil, most having undergone pre-release
training as part of their conservation care
programme. In 1987 the first Jersey pair of
tamarins was released and adjusted well to
forest life, becoming the very first captive-bred
golden lion tamarins to breed successfully in the
wild. Another milestone in the species recovery
programme was reached in April 2001, when the
total world golden lion tamarin population
reached 1000 with the birth of a new wild baby.
Thanks to intensive conservation efforts, wild
numbers have almost doubled in just 20 years.
Lion tamarins are flagship species - they are
used in education programmes as ambassadors
Golden lion tamarin species factsheet. © Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, July 2006, photograph credit: XXXX
for their endangered Atlantic rainforest habitat.
To save the tamarins their forest has to be
saved, which encourages people to protect an
entire ecosystem. In 1991 Gerald Durrell started
the Lion Tamarins of Brazil Fund, which raised
money from institutions keeping lion tamarins to
fund conservation work by local people in Brazil.
In 1995 Durrell and organisations in Brazil
signed a formal agreement. This reinforced the
cooperative relationship that promotes and
supports the missions of these institutions,
which are involved in the conservation and
management of endangered species and their
habitats in Brazil. Vital projects have included
the purchase of land, habitat regeneration,
particularly the planting of ‘green corridors’
between forest fragments, community education
and training of local personnel.
The future
A new species management method is being
developed to give lion tamarins the best chance
of long-term survival in their fragmented habitat.
Known as ‘metapopulation management,’ this
strategy
involves
the
integration
and
interbreeding of wild and captive tamarins, as
well the ‘translocation’ of wild ones between
forest fragments. Black lion tamarins from
Jersey are currently involved in this pioneering
work. In the future the golden lion tamarin
population may also benefit from this technique.
Monitoring and management of the wild golden
lion tamarins continues, as does the habitat
restoration and agro-forestry projects that
involve local communities. The golden lion
tamarin project is an excellent example of how
co-operative conservation efforts, inspired by
using a flagship species, can give hope for the
wildlife and economy of a region.
June 2006
Golden lion tamarin species factsheet. © Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, July 2006, photograph credit: XXXX