Species Data
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Callitrichidae
Scientific Name: Saguinus leucopus
IUCN Red List status: Endangered
Description
Also called the Silvery-brown or Silvery-brown Bare-faced Tamarin, White-footed Tamarins are insectivorous, arboreal primates from northern Columbia. They have long hind legs and elongated hands and feet ending, not in nails like most primates, but in modified claws, excluding the big toes. White-footed Tamarins have excellent hearing, smell and vision. Their backs and legs are silver coloured with rust-brown fur on the underside and tail, excluding the white tail tip.
Behaviour
White-footed Tamarins live in small social groups of around 4-15 individuals. A diurnal species, they live arboreally and use all four limbs to move around the canopy. They are omnivorous and primarily eat insects and soft fruits.
They exhibit polyandry, females mating more than once in a season and giving birth to 1-3 offspring. Both the males and females raise the young, carrying them on their backs for up to 18 months.
Habitat
Ranging from the Rio Cauca to the Rio Magdalena, individuals can often be found near the edge of patches of both dry and humid forests in both primary and secondary condition. They are commonly found around rivers and streams.
Threats and Conservation
White-footed Tamarins are sold in the local area as pets, but few make it to the international market. Logging, cattle farming, mining and the building of human infrastructure has all led to a loss of suitable habitat.
A captive breeding programme is in place for this species, but this has faced set backs surrounding the husbandry of the species with further research required in this field.
