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Golden-handed tamarin
Our golden-handed tamarin, Mrs Potts, lives with her companion Theo (an emperor tamarin) in Monkey Heights.
Their scientific name - Saguinus midas - means Midas tamarin, named for King Midas, who - according to Greek mythology - turned everything he touched into gold.
Class:
Mammals
Order:
Primates
Family:
Callithrichidae
About the golden-handed tamarin
Golden-handed tamarins, also known as the red-handed or Midas tamarin, are typically found in the rainforests of Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname.
They are one of the world’s smallest primates, measuring just 20.5–28cm in body length with a 31–44cm tail and weighing 380–500g. Despite their petite size, they are exceptional jumpers... capable of leaping more than 60 feet from trees to the ground, with specialised joints that act as shock absorbers.
They are omnivores, eating fruit, flowers, insects, small reptiles, and amphibians.
Conservation
Golden-handed tamarins are currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, as they inhabit some of the least-disturbed forest regions in Latin America, with numerous protected areas throughout their range.
However, habitat loss from tropical rainforest destruction remains the primary threat. Their range is expanding and they are adaptable to forest-edge habitats and proximity to human settlements, unlike many other primate species.
Zoo-based breeding programmes maintain genetically diverse populations and research continues to improve understanding of their behaviour and distribution to support conservation if needed in the future.