Pied tamarin in exhibit
Scientific Name
Saguinus bicolor
Class
Mammalia
Order
Primates
Range
Outside the rapidly growing city of Manaus, Brazil
Habitat
Forests and swamps
Estimated Wild Population
n/a
Pied tamarin in exhibit Endangered Status Graph - Critically Endangered Endangered Status Graph - Critically Endangered

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Physical Description

Adult pied tamarins have a bald head with black skin and large ears, giving these primates an unusual and striking appearance. They eat fruit, flowers, and small animals. Pied tamarins live in social family groups with multiple adult males and females. Females usually have two offpsring at a time, and the entire groups helps care for infants, with the father doing most of the carrying.

Interesting Fact 1

Pied tamarins help disperse plantlife by eating fruits and dropping their seeds across the forest.

Interesting Fact 2

Pied tamarins rapidly “flick” their tongue in and out of their mouth to signal recognition, anger, and curiosity.

Interesting Fact 3

Conservationists predict that nearly 80 percent of the wild population could be lost over the primate’s next three generations, primarily due to the expansion of a nearby city, deforestation, and predation.

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Species Survival Plan®

We cooperate with other members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to manage the zoo population of this species through a Species Survival Plan®.

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Lincoln Park Zoo prioritizes individual well-being over everything else. Guided by scientific research, staff and volunteers work to provide the best welfare outcomes for each individual in the zoo’s care.

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