Pied tamarin
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The pied tamarin (Saguinus bicolor), sometimes referred to as the Brazilian bare-faced tamarin, is a critically endangered species of primate found in a restricted area of the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. It was named the mascot of Manaus, Brazil in 2005.<ref name="Jerusalinsky, L.-2021">Template:Cite iucn</ref><ref name="One Earth">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The species is endangered due to the increasing size of the city of Manaus, which is encroaching on their native habitat.
Distribution and habitatEdit
A New World monkey, the pied tamarin is found at the city limits of Manaus, the capital of the Amazonas state of Brazil and up to Template:Cvt to the north and Template:Cvt to the east.<ref name="Jerusalinsky, L.-2021" /> A tamarin group has a home range of Template:Cvt.Template:Citation needed The main distribution is in the interfluvial areas of the Rio Cuieiras and Rio Preto da Eva. Pied tamarins are also found in the adjacent interfluvial areas of the Rio Preto da Eva and Rio Urubu, but are comparatively rare.<ref name=Rohe>Template:Cite book</ref> The pied tamarin is found in old-growth forests, sand forest and smaller secondary forest fragments. Their density is higher in secondary forest fragments than in primary forest.<ref name="Jerusalinsky, L.-2021" />
DescriptionEdit
The pied tamarin does not exhibit sexual dimorphism, as both males and females weigh around Template:Cvt and are roughly Template:Cvt in length.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Furthermore, both male and female tamarins exhibit the same coloration: they have a black furless face with a white upper body and a lower body that can range in color from a light to dark brown.<ref name=":0" /> Their furless face gives them the nickname "Brazilian bare-faced tamarin."Template:Citation needed
The pied tamarin does not have nails, but instead has claws that allow them to quickly scale trees in order to retrieve food or escape predators. These claws also allow the tamarin to dig into tree bark and extract sap to eat.<ref name="One Earth" />
Its life expectancy is approximately 10 years in the wild, but can be extended to double that in captivity.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
BehaviorEdit
DietEdit
Pied tamarins are omnivorous; their diet consisting of gums, saps, fruit, flowers, nectar, insects, spiders, small vertebrates and bird eggs.<ref name="Rohe" /> During the dry season, when tree gums and saps are less available, they consume smaller animals.<ref name=":0" />
Due to their omnivorous diets, pied tamarins are responsible for seed dispersal and the regulation of small animal populations such as insects and amphibians.<ref name="One Earth" /><ref name="Ayres">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Group structure and reproductionEdit
Individuals live in groups of 2 to 15 members with little intragroup competition.Template:Citation needed The average group size in the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke is 4.8 individuals per group,<ref name="Vidal">Template:Cite journal</ref> and other areas around Manaus reported mean group sizes of 6.19.<ref name="Subira">Template:Cite book</ref> Generally, group sizes range from 2 to 15 individuals.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Pied tamarin groups are mixed, containing multiple males and females.<ref name="One Earth" /><ref name=":0" /> A single dominant female is the only one in the group to reproduce, and the dominant female suppresses the estrus cycles of the other females through the release of pheromones.<ref name="One Earth" /><ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Irrelevant citation
ReproductionEdit
Like other tamarin species, the pied tamarins are polyandrous, as the dominant female mates with multiple males.<ref name="One Earth" /><ref name=":0" /> Due to the pheromones released by the dominant female, none of the other females in the group mate with other males. The fact that only one female per group produces offspring inhibits their population growth.Template:Citation needed The breeding period lasts from March to May.<ref name=":1" /> When the dominant female becomes pregnant, she usually will give birth to twins after a 120-to-195 day long gestation period.<ref name="One Earth" /><ref name=":0" />
Young tamarins are cared for primarily by the father and turned over to the mother only to nurse; however, the entire group helps with the care of the alpha female's offspring, a behavior known as alloparenting.<ref name="One Earth" /><ref name=":1" />
ConservationEdit
ClassificationEdit
As of 2015, the pied tamarin is rated critically endangered by the IUCN Red List.<ref name="Jerusalinsky, L.-2021" /> The pied tamarin's population is expected to decline 80% by 2033 due to anthropogenic threats, competition with golden-handed tamarin (Saguinus midas), and disease. It is on the IUCN list for the top 25 most endangered primates in Brazil.<ref name="Action For The Wild-2019">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Causes of endangermentEdit
The pied tamarins' natural predators are small cats, birds of prey, and snakes. Their habitat has been lost due to expansion of the city of Manaus. Within the Manaus area, pied tamarins are threatened by domestic and feral cats and dogs, electrocution from power lines, and the pet trade.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> Additionally, rural settlement and increasing livestock agriculture continue to encroach upon and degrade the pied tamarin's remaining habitat.<ref name="Jerusalinsky, L.-2021" />
Interspecific competition with both the golden-handed tamarin and the red-handed tamarin has led to displacement of the pied tamarin.<ref name="Jerusalinsky, L.-2021" /><ref name="One Earth" />
ProtectionEdit
The pied tamarin is protected in some parts of its range, such as in Sumaúma State Park (Template:Cvt), Adolfo Ducke Forest Reserve (Template:Cvt) and less than half of Puranga Conquista Sustainable Development Reserve (Template:Cvt). The Centro de Instrução de Guerra na Selva (CIGS) (Template:Cvt) is an important protected area for the species; however, it is not a conservation area, but a military jungle training facility, thus making the area's status uncertain.<ref name="Jerusalinsky, L.-2021" />
Both European and American zoos and conservation servicesTemplate:Who have allocated funding to the conservation of pied tamarin species.<ref name="Action For The Wild-2019" /> While there are only two areas in the worldTemplate:Which that are protected for the tamarins, and both are under 50 hectares, the conservation efforts have allowed for the reforestation of these places and the slow and uncertain return of the pied tamarin's native habitat.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
There is an established captive breeding program for the pied tamarin and an official studbook.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> As of 2009, there are 172 pied tamarins in captivity and all are registered property of the Brazilian government.<ref name="Jerusalinsky, L.-2021" /> However, their captive breeding success rate is limited.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
In popular cultureEdit
The pied tamarin is featured as a pet in the game Super Auto Pets.