Chicago Zoological Society

A Conservation Success Story

Primate appeal
Golden lion tamarins (zoo folks call them “GLTs” for short!) are small monkeys about the size of squirrels. They have thick reddish-orange or orange-gold fur that’s longest on their head. A mane gives them a lion-like appearance (and their name). Males and females look alike.

GLTs have a long tail that they use for balance when climbing through the trees. They also have very long fingers for grabbing branches, holding fruit, and reaching into crevices to catch insects.

Situation critical
In the wild, golden lion tamarins are found only in the state of Rio de Janeiro, one of the most densely inhabited parts of Brazil. They have always been a rare species, but experts say that now only 2% of their original habitat remains. They are nearing extinction because their coastal forest homes have been cut down for lumber and to make room for an expanding human population. 

As if that isn’t bad enough, another problem comes from animal traders, who take advantage of the tamarins’ appeal and capture the monkeys to sell in the illegal pet market.

The first steps away from extinction
Research was instrumental in helping save GLTs from extinction. Studies in zoos showed that tamarins ate a wide variety of foods, and that they needed a lot of protein. Zoo scientists also learned that GLT family groups needed to be built around a mated pair of adults, for social stability and to breed successfully. These and other discoveries led to a huge improvement in tamarin reproduction and survival in zoos, and set the stage for an historic attempt to save them in the wild.

Going back to Brazil
Since the 1980s GLTs have been part of a ground-breaking conservation program, which allowed some zoo-born tamarins to be reintroduced back into their rainforest home in Brazil. Here’s how it works:

For several years, different family groups of healthy zoo tamarins went through a "boot camp" to prepare them for life in the wild. Brookfield Zoo, and several other participating zoos, released these groups of GLTs into a wooded area on zoo grounds, provide the tamarins with a nest box and daily feedings from keepers. The GLTs could move freely through the trees, experiencing what it was like to live on their own. They learned how to catch elusive insects, climb hazardous branches, and even escape predators, such as hawks and raccoons. It was all part of the learning process. Radio collars helped keep track of the tamarins, and volunteers went out every day to write down information about what the tamarins were doing.

Graduation for GLTs
Some of the tamarins with the "right stuff" – those that passed the summer boot camp – graduated to the real thing, the rain forests of the coast of Brazil. A GLT family group spends its first few days in Brazil in a large outdoor enclosure getting used to the sights, sounds, and smells of a real rain forest. Then they are released to live on their own. Scientists studying the released tamarins found that those who’ve gone through boot camp at zoos do better in the forest than those who have not.

Over 150 golden lion tamarins have been reintroduced and as a result of these animals successfully reproducing, the reintroduction project has added over 550 animals to the wild population with over 95% of these being wild born. There are now over 1,500 golden lion tamarins in the wild.

Golden lion tamarins at Brookfield Zoo
You cannot currently see the golden lion tamarins, who are on vacation behind-the-scenes in Tropic World: South America.

Brookfield Zoo is part of the golden lion tamarin Species Survival Plan (SSP). SSPs are programs between zoos that support conservation and education efforts on behalf of endangered species.