Golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia).
Image: Jeroen Kransen, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Stable
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The golden lion tamarin is a small, brilliantly orange monkey of Brazil's Atlantic Forest, named for its lion-like mane. It is assessed as Endangered.
It lives in family groups and was brought back from the brink by captive breeding and reintroduction.
Range & habitat
Remnant Atlantic Forest in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Loss and fragmentation of Atlantic Forest
- Small, isolated populations
Why it matters
The golden lion tamarin is one of the best-known conservation success stories, showing how zoos, reintroduction, and forest restoration can rebuild a species — yet it remains dependent on protecting the highly fragmented Atlantic Forest.
A long-running reintroduction programme in Brazil's Atlantic Forest is often cited as a conservation success story.
Gallery
Golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia).
Image: su neko, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Golden Lion Tamarin
- IUCN Red List — look up Golden Lion Tamarin (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
- Smithsonian's National Zoo
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the golden lion tamarin famous in conservation?
Why is it still Endangered?
Last updated: