Golden-headed lion tamarin

Conservation status: IUCN – EN (Endangered); CITES – Appendix I.

Geographic range: Brazil – Bahia.

Physical description: These small primates are usually 24-29 cm large with tails of up to 40 cm. They weigh between 480 g and 700 g with no distinction between males and females. Though these animals are quite small, their fangs are one of their stand-out features. Their coat is mostly black except for their distinctly golden brown face and mane. Their long tails help them jump from tree to tree and their long claws and fingers help them hold onto branches and reach food from small gaps. 

Biology: They are active by day and spend most of their lives between 3 and 10 meters up in the trees. By night they sleep in tree holes and they live in groups of 2-8 individuals. Occasionally,