Our golden-handed tamarin, Mrs Potts, lives with her companion Theo (an emperor tamarin) in Monkey Heights.
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. They are omnivores, eating fruit, flowers, insects, small reptiles, and amphibians.
Fun facts
- Golden-handed tamarins are named after the legendary tales of King Midas, turning everything he touched into gold. Their Latin name is Saguinus midas meaning Midas tamarin
- They can adapt their vocalisations to mimic other tamarin species’ calls, allowing them to communicate and avoid conflict in shared territories
- They are know to be exceptional jumpers, capable of leaping more than 60 feet from trees to the ground without injury, with specialised joints that act as shock absorbers
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.