Mammals
Pied Tamarin
Saguinus bicolor · also called bare-faced tamarin
In a patch of forest between apartment blocks in Manaus, a pied tamarin with a bare dark face peers down from a branch, a monkey that has learned to live at the edge of a big city.
Overview
The pied tamarin, Saguinus bicolor, is an Endangered monkey found only in a small area of the Brazilian Amazon around the city of Manaus. Its bare black face, urban survival, and shrinking forest range make it one of the most unusual and threatened tamarins.
A tamarin on the edge of a city
Because Manaus is growing into the pied tamarin’s forest, the species must survive in fragments, parks, and gardens close to people.
Status
Endangered, with a decreasing population.
Pied Tamarin: common questions
Why is it called the pied tamarin?
It has dark, bare skin on its face and head, with pale fur on parts of its body, giving it a two-toned look.
Where does the pied tamarin live?
It lives in a small area of the Brazilian Amazon, around the city of Manaus.
Can the pied tamarin live in the city?
Yes, it survives in forest fragments, parks, and gardens within and around Manaus.
Why is the pied tamarin endangered?
It has lost much of its forest to the expansion of the city and to farming, and is under pressure from a related tamarin.