Cotton-top Tamarin

Facts

IUCN CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR)

Facts about this animal

Cotton-top Tamarins possess a crest of long whitish hair from the forehead to the nape flowing over the shoulders. Its back is primarily black or brown, while the underparts of the body, arms, and legs are predominantly white. The base of the tail is reddish-orange, while the tip is blackish. The mean adult body mass for this species is 432 g and they are about the size of a squirrel. There's no sexual dimorphism.

Cotton-top tamarins live in groups of 2-12 individuals in the wild. Most groups appear to be monogamous, with only one reproductively active male and female - exceptions to this trend have been found however.

Deforestation for agriculture, fuel, and housing is the greatest threat to the survival of the cotton-top tamarind in the wild. More than 3/4 of its original habitat has been deforested, much of it for cattle pasture. Remnant populations are small and are restricted to a few isolated forest fragments.

This species is frequently kept in human care and breeds freely, with self-sustaining populations.

Did you know?
that the cotton-top tamarin is found only in Colombia and is one of the most endangered primates in that country, threatened by pet trade and deforestation? The Zoological Foundation of Baranquilla (FUNDAZOO) and Disney?s Animal Kingdom have therefore been working together since 2001 to promote conservation of the cotton-top tamarin.

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	PRIMATES
Suborder	SIMIAE
Family	CALLITHRICHIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Saguinus oedipus
Name (English)	Cotton-top Tamarin
Name (French)	Tamarin pinché
Name (German)	Lisztäffchen
Name (Spanish)	Bichichi
CITES Status	Appendix I
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Raimond Spekking

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Colombia
Habitat	Tropical rainforest, secondary forest, open woodland
Wild population	6,000 individuals (Red List IUCN 2011)
Zoo population	1080 reported to ISIS (2007)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 31 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Nilington

Why do zoos keep this animal

The cotton-top tamarin is a critically endangered species in the wild. With a view of building up a viable reserve population, an International Studbook has been established in 1986 under the WAZA umbrella, and coordinated conservation breeding programmes are operated at the regional level by ARAZPA, AZA, EAZA and JAZA.

How this animal should be kept

Cotton-top tamarins are social animals that usually live in pairs or family groups and should be kept accordingly.

In temperate and cold climates, tamarins must have an indoor enclosure available. Minimum requirements: surface 10 m² per family group, height 2.5 m, room temperature at least 15°C, in places higher (radiators). In the case of artificially lightened enclosures, the day phase should be around 12 hours. Ample vertical and horizontal branches are required for running, climbing and jumping, and horizontal benches or platforms allowing the group to sit together in close contact, and sleeping boxes should be provided in the upper part of the enclosure. Visual contact between groups kept in adjoining enclosures should be prevented.

Ideally, but not mandatory, they have also access to an outdoor enclosure if weather conditions permit. Preference should be given to larger exhibits with a grass cover, bushes and live trees in addition to dead trees, ropes, climbing frames etc. In such enclosures, the lion tamarins could be associated with sloths, tamanduas, agoutis, iguanas and (not too small) birds.

Food should be offered several times per day, It should consist of a variety of fruit and vegetables, and should be rich in animal proteins, minerals and vitamins. To keep the animals busy, honey, live insects, gummi arabicum or similar should be offered. In the case of animals kept exclusively indoors, or during the winter period, vitamin D3 should be supplemented.