Search for an animal by classification - Amphibian | Bird | Invertebrate | Mammal | Reptile

Golden-rumped lion tamarin

Leontopithecus chrysopygus

Golden-rumped lion tamarins, also known as black lion tamarins, are one of the most critically endangered members of the primate family.

Although they stay mainly in trees, they do come down to the ground to search for insects with their long fingers.

Diet
Golden-rumped lion tamarins eat fruit (including cactus fruit), gum and insects.

Size
Body length can be up to 330 millimetres (mm) and tails can measure up to 400mm.

Tamarins can weigh up to 690 grams.

Location
Golden-rumped lion tamarins live in lowland tropical forests in south-east Brazil.

Key to acronyms

EEP = European Endangered Species Programme
CITES = Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
IUCN = International Union for Conservation of Nature
ESB = European Studbook

Conservation status
The IUCN believes golden-rumped lion tamarins face a very high risk of extinction in the wild. They are listed under Appendix I of CITES.

Threats
Tamarins are threatened by the destruction of their forest habitats. They are also hunted as meat and for the live animal trade.

Current population
Experts believe the population has fallen below 1,000 and is continuing to decline. Much of the wild population is restricted to small forest fragments and is considered to be unavaiable in the medium and long-term.

Zoo population
There is an EEP for golden-rumped lion tamarins. There are around 50 animals living in zoos around the world.