What is a Golden Lion Tamarin?
Golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia), also known as golden marmosets or golden lion marmosets, are small primates. As their name suggests, these tamarins have somewhat golden fur, usually more reddish-orange in color. Likewise, they have lion-like manes encircling their faces and hiding their ears. Tamarins are very small, with adults weighing little more than a pound. They average 10 to 12 inches in height, not including their 16-inch tails. Instead of fingernails, golden lion tamarins have claws. According to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park’s website, tamarins generally live only eight years in captivity. However, the record lifespan for a golden lion tamarin is 31 years. Where Do Golden Lion Tamarins Live? Golden Lion Tamarins are native to Brazil. They inhabit lowland rainforests near the country’s Atlantic coast. Per the National Zoological Park, tamarins in the Poço das Antas Biological Reserve “prefer swamp forest, which contains many vines and bromeliads, and
