Community Corner
A Family of Geoffroy's Tamarins
The small monkeys, from South America, seem to be a fan favorite.
Cannoli, BonBon and Napoleon are just three members of the Geoffroy’s Tamarin family, a type of small monkey, at the Prospect Park Zoo. There are also twins, Tira and Misu, who were born in spring 2010 and had their names selected from hundreds of fan submissions.
Most visitors seem to agree that these active little animals are zoo favorites. Boundless energy and curiosity keep these monkeys bouncing around their exhibit all day.
Geoffroy’s tamarins are native to South America and live in troops that can have as many as 20 members. All troop members, including the males, help care for the young. Like other tamarins, Geoffroy’s are arboreal, which means they live in trees and depend on healthy forests for food and survival. Their name comes from 19th century French naturalist Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire who also lent his name to the Geoffroy’s cat, another South American species.
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Unfortunately, healthy forests in central and eastern Panama and Columbia vital to the survival of the species are becoming scarce. Deforestation and other types of habitat loss are putting monkey habitats in serious peril. In an effort to protect the tamarin and other regional primates, the Wildlife Conservation Society works in these wild places to balance human development needs with conservation.
The good thing is that Prospect Park Zoo’s little family of monkeys has nothing to fear. Their tree top exhibit is safe and they get remarkable care from animal experts at the zoo. They frequently interact with visitors by returning curious looks.
