Red-Handed Tamarin Monkey

Facts about Red-Handed tamarin monkey. "Scientific name for Red-Handed tamarin monkey snus midas". Red-Handed tamarin monkey are also known as golden-handed tamarin or Midas tamarin monkeys. The Red-Handed tamarin monkey are new world monkeys native to wooded area north of Amazon River in Brazil, French Guiana and Venezeula. The Red-Handed tamarin monkey have reddish-orange contrasting hairs on their feet and hands hence their name. They are territorial animals.

The Red-Handed tamarin monkey body length is around 20.5 to 28 cm (8 to 11 inchies). This excludes their tail but when you measure from the head to the tail it is around 31 to 44 cm (12 to 17 inches). Their weight is around 440 to 550 grams (15.5 to 19.4 ounces).

When held in captivity the Red-Handed tamarin monkey can live up to sixteen years but when they are in the wild their lifespan is reduced to 10 years. This is because in the wild they are faced by many challenges which include competition for food.

The Red-Handed tamarin monkey live in groups of four to fifteen members. There is no aggressiveness seen in the Red-Handed tamarin monkey even when there are breeding males in the same group. In fact their groups are known to be cooperative groups where each individual is keen in each other’s matters.

Breeding takes place between April and July. In a group, only one female is allowed to breed. Others are supposed to wait. The gestation period takes last for 140 -170 days. Only one or two offspring Red-Handed tamarin monkey are born at a time.

The whole group of Red-Handed tamarin monkey takes part when it comes to taking care of the young ones. But mostly the male will take care of them and give the mother time to nurse. But in many instances the females are the ones that bath the young ones.

At the age of 2 to 4 weeks the young ones may start walking around and when the Red-Handed tamarin monkey are around 4 to 7 weeks they are introduced to solid foods. At around 10 weeks the Red-Handed tamarin monkey become independent. Sexual maturity is attained at the age of 24 months.

Defending one another is the responsibility of every individual. In cases where one individual is attacked, the whole group defends him or her. In fact the Red-Handed tamarin monkey are very aggressive if threatened. The Red-Handed tamarin monkey have very sharp canines and claws which they can use to attack.

The Red-Handed tamarin monkey can really jump. It has been observed that they can jump a distance of 18m without being hurt. The Red-Handed tamarin monkey are wonderful climbers who love spending their time climbing trees.

These monkeys are diurnal meaning they are active during the day. Most of their activities including feeding are done during the day and then they climb their trees to have a night rest when night falls. Their group is led by the eldest female assisted by the males.

The Red-Handed tamarin monkey are omnivorous animals so their diet mostly consists of insects, frogs, spiders, lizards, fruits and nectar. These are found in the dense forests that act as their habitats.

The Red-Handed tamarin monkey are predated by small cats, snakes and even humans. This is because Red-handed Tamarin monkeys are small in nature. Their habitats can be completely destroyed by these predators living them homeless.

Their population is believed to be expanding to the historical range of the Pied Tamarin. There is fear that they might be displacing the Pied Tamarin.