Golden Lion Tamarins ~

Golden lion tamarins are an endangered species of small monkey from the dry forests of Brazil. They are named for their golden to orange colored hair. Golden lion tamarins live in small family groups consisting of a breeding pair and their offspring. They feed upon saps, gums, invertebrates, fruit, and occasionally the small vertebrates in the wild.

This species has become rare due to deforestation of their native habitat, but zoos are working to grow the populations of this species in the wild through scientifically managed breeding programs. The Good Zoo is a proud participant in the golden lion tamarin species survival program which carries out reintroductions of species to its native habitat.

At the zoo, our family group consists of breeding pair Katy and Candido. They are very curious and like to interact with toys from the Children’s Discovery Lab that guests place near their habitat. We feed the golden lion tamarins a prepared zoo marmoset diet which includes grapes, bananas, oranges, apples, and mealworms. For entertainment, they love puzzle feeders, foraging baskets, and a wide variety of toys and play pieces.