* Threatened or Endangered
Cotton-top Tamarin *
: Saguinus oedipus
: Mammal
: Columbia
: Plants, insects, fruits and nectar
: Weight up to 1 lb.
: These endangered primates number less than 1000 in the wild. A Species Survival Plan is in place in which zoos from across the country work together to ensure genetically pure breeding and releases back into the wild where appropriate.
These small primates perform an important task of spreading seeds for trees and plants that they eat. The undigested seeds are spread in their feces and are then naturally planted as they defecate. Cotton-top Tamarins have claw-like nails similar to a squirrel's rather than the flat nails characteristic of other primates, including humans.