Fun Tamarin Facts For Kids

Tamarins form a family of monkeys which are characterized by their small size and long tails. Many of the species of tamarins that we know of today are facing extinction, which is why several conservation efforts are underway.

An interesting fact about tamarins is that females give birth to twins almost every time. The young ones are raised by groups of monkeys in a familial environment, which is a stunning thing to witness.

Tree cover is an essential part of the lives of tamarin monkeys, which is why the conservation status of many of these species is becoming grave with habitat loss. Keep reading to know more facts about tamarins.

What type of animal is a tamarin?

Tamarins are monkeys which are found in Central and South Americas. The genus Saguinus has many subspecies, some of which are endangered. This is why members of the tamarin family are being saved against predators and human factors.

What class of animal does a tamarin belong to?

The scientific term used for this class of animals is Mammalia.

How many tamarins are there in the world?

Unfortunately, there are no credible studies to show how many tamarin monkeys are in the world across the many sub-species that come under the genus of Saguinus. However, we do know that the conservation status of several species, such as the golden lion tamarin, is Endangered, which means that family groups of these animals do not make for a huge global population.

Where does a tamarin live?

A tamarin monkey would most readily be spotted in a tropical rainforest or in an open woodland or forest area. Such forests give plenty of space for these monkeys to swing around. Trees are not only home to tamarins but also play a huge role when it comes to attending to the diet of the genus.

What is a tamarin's habitat?

The tamarin habitat range extends across Central and South Americas. They are also found in northwestern Columbia, Brazil, and the Guianas. However, the tamarin population in the forests of such places has seen a steady decline over the past few years. This is one of the reasons why conservation efforts are underway.

Who do tamarins live with?

Tamarins form family groups to spend their lives in. These monkeys seem to understand the concept of cooperation and indulge in group activities. Several studies have also confirmed that males and females of several tamarin species tend to do well in captivity when placed in groups.

How long does a tamarin live?

The average lifespan of most tamarin species is more than 20 years. On the other hand, the average lifespan of a golden lion tamarin, in its wild habitat, is said to be only around 10 years. Hence, it is well understood that the tamarin life expectancy depends on the species as well as the living conditions.

How do they reproduce?

Tamarins are mammals or viviparous animals, just like humans. In the natural world, females of several tamarin species give birth to their young ones instead of laying eggs. The gestational period is estimated to be around 140 days, after which twins are birthed on almost every occasion. Each tamarin group of monkeys helps in the rearing of children. Males and females are typically polyandrous and do not live with the same monkey throughout their lives.

What is their conservation status?

 The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List specifies the conservation status of some tamarin species as Endangered. While the golden lion tamarin monkey is classified as an Endangered species, cotton-top tamarin monkeys are termed as Critically Endangered.

This is because both these species have lesser forests in the world to live in. With modernization and felling of trees in vast numbers, these monkeys are losing their natural habitats. Organizations and specialists in the field are trying to give more space to these species and replicate their wild habitat in more controlled and safe environments.

What do tamarins look like?

Tamarin monkeys have hair or fur on their bodies. They are primates who have a lot of features similar to human beings. There are several types of tamarins in the world and they all have different colors of hair on their body. For example, the golden lion tamarin has golden or orangish colored hair on its body, while the black lion tamarin monkey has black colored hair. Other species might have a brown colored body.

These primates have a long tail and large eyes, which make these animals very adorable.

How do they communicate?

These primates are considered to be one of the smartest in the world and can communicate rather skillfully. While their wild language is not yet understandable to us, they tend to speak in squeaky, somewhat repetitive tones.

How big is a tamarin?

A tamarin's size is such that these primates are classified as small ones in the world. The average length of these wild monkeys typically has a range of 5.1-11.8 in (13-30 cm). In addition to this, a tamarin monkey is also known for its long tail, which would be 9.8-17.3 in (25-44 cm) in length.

How fast can a tamarin move?

Tamarins are quite fast when it comes to running or swinging across trees. For example, an emperor tamarin has the average speed of 24 mph (38.6 kph). Interestingly, the golden lion tamarin monkey also has the same speed.

How much does a tamarin weigh?

Members of the tamarin family are quite light in terms of weight. The average range of weight of a tamarin monkey would be 12.3-20.3 oz (348-575 g).

What are male and female names of the species?

There are no special names for males and females of the tamarin monkey family. Hence, we lovingly refer to them as male tamarins and female tamarins.

What would you call a baby tamarin?

Like in the case of human beings, baby monkeys are called infants.

What do they eat?

The tamarin's diet consists of pretty much anything it can find in the forests that it inhabits. It eats insects, spiders and invertebrates, which are abundantly available. At the same time, any fruits and vegetables that it might find are also consumed. Whether or not the speculated love for bananas is shown by this monkey genus is unknown to us.

Are they dangerous?

Whether it be a golden lion tamarin or an emperor tamarin, there is no reason to believe that a group of these monkeys would cause any harm. Nearly all members of the tamarin genus tend to be very peaceful in nature and do not pose any threat to humans.

Would they make a good pet?

Species such as the golden lion tamarin are facing extinction and several others are losing large chunks of their habitat. For this reason, having these tree-loving creatures as pets is neither a good idea nor legal in any way.

Did you know...

The golden lion tamarin monkey is an endangered species and is facing extinction. Another species that is facing extinction is the cotton-top tamarin.

Young tamarins gain maturity at the age of about two years.

Tamarins are commonly found in Brazil.

Different types of tamarin monkeys

Some of the different types of tamarins are cotton-top tamarins, golden lion tamarins, emperor tamarins, golden-handed tamarins, white-footed tamarins, and red-mantled saddleback tamarins.

How far can tamarins jump?

A red-handed tamarin can jump across a spectacular distance of 59.05 ft (18 m).