Pygmy marmoset Callithrix pygmaea
Animals in our sanctuary
Ipek (Male)
During a major rescue operation in France at the house of a private individual, Ipek was saved. The woman illegally kept different types of South American monkeys. She wanted to breed and sell illegally. The animals were in miserable situations: they had injuries, there was inbreeding and there were even dead animals!
Cüce (female)
During a major rescue operation in France at the house of a private individual, Cüce was saved. The woman illegally kept different types of South American monkeys. She wanted to breed and sell illegally. The animals were in miserable situations: they had injuries, there was inbreeding and there were even dead animals!
Paway (female)
During a major rescue operation in France at the house of a private individual, Paway was saved. The woman illegally kept different types of South American monkeys. She wanted to breed and sell illegally. The animals were in miserable situations: they had injuries, there was inbreeding and there were even dead animals!
Simio (female)
During a major rescue operation in France at the house of a private individual, Simio was saved. The woman illegally kept different types of South American monkeys. She wanted to breed and sell illegally. The animals were in miserable situations: they had injuries, there was inbreeding and there were even dead animals!
Namanya (female)
During a major rescue operation in France at the house of a private individual, Namanya was saved. The woman illegally kept different types of South American monkeys. She wanted to breed and sell illegally. The animals were in miserable situations: they had injuries, there was inbreeding and there were even dead animals!
Appearance
The pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey in the world. It has a soft, brownish coat with yellow-brown spots and a ringed tail that is as long as its body. A distinctive feature is the long hairs around its face and neck, resembling a lion’s mane. Its mouth is outlined in white, and a vertical white stripe runs across its nose.
Newborn pygmy marmosets initially have a gray head and yellow fur with black spots. After about a month, they develop the coloration of adult individuals. Their hind legs are longer than their front legs, and their fingers have sharp claws that help them grip tree trunks securely.
Behavior
These tiny monkeys are active during the day, especially in the early morning and late afternoon. They live in small family groups of 2 to 15 individuals, usually consisting of a breeding pair and their offspring. They communicate through facial expressions, scents, and sounds, including ultrasonic calls that humans cannot hear.
Their territory is small, ranging between 0.1 and 0.4 hectares, often centered around one or two trees that produce gum. If these trees no longer provide enough food, the group moves to a new location.
Diet
The pygmy marmoset is specialized in eating tree gum, a trait unique among primates. It gnaws holes in tree bark with its sharp incisors to access the gum. In addition to tree sap, it also eats fruit, leaves, insects, and occasionally small reptiles.
Habitat
This species inhabits the rainforests along the upper Amazon basin, primarily near rivers and in flooded forest areas. They avoid both the ground and the highest canopy layers, moving mostly through the middle layers of the forest.
Reproduction
Most births occur between November and January and between May and June. Only the dominant female gives birth. After a gestation period of about 125 days, twins or triplets are usually born. The newborns weigh only 16 grams.
The male carries the young around and only hands them to the female when they need to be fed. The juveniles reach sexual maturity at around 12 to 18 months and then leave the group.
Threats
Although the pygmy marmoset is not considered endangered, they are hunted and kept as pets in some countries. Deforestation poses a potential threat, but the population remains stable for now.
Adopt this Pygmy marmoset