Specie's Page                                               Asia - Cotton Top Tamarin

Cotton Top Tamarin:  

UK Status: Non resident, though is found in zoos, wildlife parks and tropical houses in the UK.

Habitat: This small monkey is exclusive to Columbia, ninety eight percent of it's habitat has been destroyed, probably by cultivation. It is now restricted to the south east, between the Cauca and Magdelena rivers, and near the Atlantic Coast to the north, and to the west of the Atrato river. It is mainly a resident species  of primary and secondary dry and damp forest or jungle.

Breeding: Only the leaders of the group breed, subordinate female members of the group are suppressed from breeding, by hormones released by the dominant female. This sometimes doesn't always work, and occasionally sub ordinate females become pregnant. If a sub ordinate female is pregnant at the same time as the dominant female, only one of the two will give birth. Dominant females usually give birth to non identical twins.

Comment: These monkeys eat fruit, seeds, invertibrates and small animals including amphibians. This monkey is preyed upon by raptors, weasels, badgers and some larger animals.