Well, we have made it to the middle of another week and our reward on this beautiful Wednesday is a look into the life of the Golden Lion Tamarin.  I hope you were not expecting money or candy?!? Trust me, today’s Wild Fact will be an awesome treat.   How can it not when we are learning about a small monkey, which is native to the rainforests of Brazil.  Not only do we get to play with monkey’s but we get to go on a sweet road trip.  Who is up for a quick trip to South America?

Unfortunately, there are only about 1000 Golden Lion Tamarins’ left in the wild so we will have to keep our eyes peeled if we want to catch a glimpse of this endangered species.  You can probably tell from the picture how this tiny primate ended up with their name.  Not only do they have a beautiful golden coloured coat but they also have a thick mane that looks oddly reminiscent of a Lion.  So do you need to be worried that this lion-like monkey will attack you while roaming through the forests of Brazil?

Nah, of course not.  These social monkey’s tend to feed on fruit, insects, small mammals and of course reptiles.  Considering the Golden Lion Tamarin  is only about 33.5 cm (8″) tall, you don’t have much to worry about.  Besides, these animals are far too busy taking care of their family to bother you.  Believe it or not, it is the male that is responsible for most of the rearing duties.  Wait a minute! Why is that so hard to believe?  You will often see the males carrying the little ones on their back.  You know what, humans are not that different since I still remember my dad carrying me up the stairs like a “sack of potatoes”.  The mother is smart to hand over the rearing duties to “dad” since the Golden Lion Tamarin typically has twins.  Nothing better than a 2 for 1 deal.

Wow!  That Wild Fact seemed to go by way to quick.  I hope you enjoyed a little bit of monkey fun today.  Have a great day!