Pied tamarin

Saguinus bicolor

pied tamarin3
IUCN Conservation Status –
Least Concern
Extinct In The Wild
Class: Mammals
Order: Primates
Family: Callitrichidae

You can find our group of pied tamarins at the top of the zoo, next to Meerkat Munchies.

Pied tamarins only live in one Brazilian region in and around Manaus, Amazonas. They prefer lowland rainforests and typically hang in elevations of 32-40 feet.

They eat a varied diet of insects, ripe fruit, gum, nectar and small lizards.

Interesting facts!

  • Pied tamarins are also known as ‘bare-faced’ tamarins due to their black hairless faces.
  • Each year, the dominant female in a troop of pied tamarins usually gives birth to twins, rather than a single baby, both of which are cared for by members in the group, including other females, males and more mature siblings.

Conservation

Pied tamarins are becoming more and more Endangered due to habitat destruction as the city of Manaus expands. Sadly, they also make popular pets, and suffer due to the illegal pet trade.

The species is slowly benefiting from conservation efforts in Brazil, and a management plan for the species. They occur in a number of protected areas around the city of Manaus, and they are also being bred in captivity, both in Brazil and abroad.