All Animals

Cotton-Topped Tamarin

Saguinus oedipus
Mammal

Step into the world of our cotton-topped tamarin and unlock the wonders of these extraordinary creatures

A baby Cotton-Topped Tamarin clinging to its parent's back

Cotton-topped tamarins are tiny monkeys that weigh less than half a kilogram! One of the smallest primates, the cotton-top tamarin is easily recognized by the long, white sagittal crest extending from its forehead to its shoulders.  

A group of these primates can make a loud noise. When communicating each other, they use as many as 38 various vocalizations, displaying joy, curiosity, fear, alarm and playfulness.  

Cotton-topped tamarins are very social primates, forming troops of up to 19 individuals, with 3-9 on average. Each troop has a dominant male and female, their offspring and a few younger individuals tasked as "helpers", gathering food and scent marking the troop's territory.  

Quick facts

Distribution:

Northwest Colombia

Habitat:

Rainforests

Conservation Status:

Critically Endangered

Fun fact

When excited or feeling danger, these tamarins try to look bigger than they are by raising hair on their head crown and standing full-length