Interview with a Golden Headed Lion Tamarin

By Michael of Bank Street School For Children, NYC.

The Golden Headed Lion Tamarin (G-tam) is a type of Marmoset or "Monkey" native to the Brazilian rain forest. The G-tam is extremely endangered, in fact, it is the most endangered primate in the world.

MF: Describe your body, and movement.

G-tam: I am a small prowling animal, when I move my arms are (mostly) in front of me. I am a dark shade of black on my body, and I have a orange-gold colored head and a strip of gold on my tail. My hands/feet are small with long claws.

MF: What are your feeding behaviors?

G-tam: In captivity, I eat fruits, vegetables, and a special marmoset chow. In the wild I eat insects, spiders, lizard eggs, and small birds. At the zoo I am spoiled because food is served on a dish, I often get picky when choosing my foods. I use my long claws to grasp on to my food and other objects.

MF: How do you communicate?

G-tam: There are hundreds of different vocal calls that a G-tam can make, clucking, wailing, screeching, etc. All G-tams understand these universal codes.

MF: Do G-tams have any reproductive habits?

G-tam: Yes, the G-tams only conceive their young from May-December. Males mate when they are 24 months old and females mate at 18 months. We mate every year after we reach sexual maturity.

Golden-headed lion tamarin natural history

Return To: School For Children Environmental Science
This page last updated 7/96