Cotton top Tamarin essays

Cotton top Tamarin essays One of the most endangered primates in the world, the cotton-top tamarin, Saguius Oedipus, is distinguished by its remarkable physical appearance. The animal belongs to the Callitrichidae family, the smallest and one of the most diverse of the New World monkeys (Savage, Natural 1). The tamarins unique appearance along with its dying habitat and biomedical possibilities led to the creatures endangerment. Physically, the cotton-top tamarin distinctly stands out among members of its family and the genus Saguinus. The animal is named for the striking crest of white hair running from its forehead to its neck, hanging over its shoulders, noticeable in contrast to the tamarins black face. The underside of the creatures arms and legs is white, while its back is black or brown. Tamarins posses claws rather than nails and have short tusked lower anterior dentition that allows them to suck sap out of trees (Savage, Natural 1). Being no more than 12 inches long and 7.26 cm tall, cottontop tamarins weigh less than a pound. Aside from physical appearance, location, behavior, diet, and reproduction help describe the tamarin and its ecosystem. The tamarin lives in only one location in the world, the rainforests of Columbia, South America. Like many other animals, cotton-top tamarins live in groups of 8 to 13 and spend their days traveling, looking for prey, and resting. The cotton-top tamarins diet consists of nectar, saps, fruits, vegetables, flowers, small animals, and insects (Savage, Natural 2). Its predators include Marten-like tayra, forest hawks, and humans. A tamarin normally lives between 13 and 14 years, and females can bear 2 offspring a year, usually twins. Despite the tamarins inherent value within its ecosystem, causes of its endangerment continue to thrive. The cotton-top tamarin's aesthetic benefits, unique susceptibility t...