Golden-Mantled Tamarin Monkeys

Facts about Golden-mantled tamarin monkey. "Scientific name for Golden-mantled tamarin monkey is Saguinus tripartitus". Golden-mantled Tamarin Monkeys are native to South America and they are found in Ecuador and Peru. Mostly you can site them at the upper lowlands of Amazon and east of the Andes in Ecuador. Currently there are seventeen subspecies.

Exclusive of the tail, the golden-mantled tamarin monkeys measure 11 to 95 inches (218 to 2400 mm). The tail measures 12 1/2 to 13 1/2 inches (316 to 341 mm). The length of the ears is 1 7/32 to 1 1/4 inches (31 to 32 mm).

The Golden-mantled tamarin monkey heads are black and have a black color of hair. This hair goes down to the throat. Their muzzle and face is white. The Golden-mantled tamarin monkey necks have bright golden to cream fur dorsally that contrast the black crown.

The under parts are orange and the Golden-mantled tamarin monkey have a prehensile tail that is longer than their bodies. The eyes are large and face forward. The digits have claw like nails apart for the big toes just like other Tamarins. They have big canines and are monomorphic.

Golden-mantled Tamarin Monkeys love living on trees (arboreal). In most of the time you will see them jumping from one tree to another one using their claw- like nails for support. The Golden-mantled tamarin monkey are diurnal meaning they are active during the day and sleep at night.

The Golden-mantled tamarin monkey are social animals that live in small groups. Mostly the group has 3 to 9 individuals and their reproductive traits are very interesting. In the social group only the dominant female Golden-mantled tamarin monkey is allowed to breed. The subordinate female’s reproductive cycle is suppressed by the dominant female’s urine which has hormones that plays that role.

Breeding season commences in September all the way to march. Gestation period lasts around 140 days where twins are born. Golden-mantled Tamarin Monkeys help the mother to take care of the young ones. Roles like carrying them are done by the helpers and the father.

From 9 – 13 weeks the baby Golden-mantled tamarin monkeys are weaned thus introduced to solid foods. The food is shared among the members ensuring that the young ones get their share. At 4 – 7 months the fights between the twins start. This is to mark their territory and obtain status. It is mostly seen with the twins of the same sex. Sexual maturity is attained from 12 to 21 months.

A surprising observation is that just as other Tamarins, Golden-mantled Tamarin Monkeys have a scent marking. In most cases this marking is done on the sites that they occupy. This enables them to go and still come back to their site. Though they are believed to go only for (80 meters) away from their territory sites, they still scent mark anyway. The Golden-mantled tamarin monkey are believed to mark even the individuals of their own group.

If one of their members is attacked, they have a way of defending it. They attack and chase the attackers away.

The Golden-mantled Tamarin monkeys are omnivorous. They eat fruits, nectar, insects and gum of trees. They are not good at looking for gum syrup so they depend on the ones on the holes of pygmy marmoset.

Since the Golden-mantled tamarin monkey have small bodies, they require a diet of high nutrient value. For water they get it from the leaves or flowers cups. They suck or rub it on their hands and then suck from it.