Have you ever seen a monkey that can fit in a teacup, chamelons the size of your thumbnail and hummingbirds that are easily mistaken for insects are just a few examples of the amazingly small creatures found in nature.
The Pygmy Marmoset is one of the example of these tiny creatures. The Pygmy Marmoset is the smallest living monkey. It's head and body length varies from 117-152 mm and its tail length varies from 172-229 mm. That's a total length of around 18 inches on average. The adult weight is in the range 85-140 grams of approximately four ounces on average. Its tawny coat is sprinkled with gray and its tail is ringed. Long hairs on its head and cheeks form a mane which hides its ears. Its eyes are almond shaped.
 |
| Photo credit: Google |
They inhabit the Amazon rain forest in Columbia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Brazil. They scramble about like squirrels in the deep rain forest and drink the sap of the trees. Since they are so tiny they can climb very high up in the trees on slender branches to find untapped sources of food-the sap and gum of trees.even acacia trees that these little monkeys are happy to eat straight without any mixers. They also like to eat grasshoppers and some other insects when available. They prefer forest with a riverfront view or else flood-plain forests.
They communicate by making high pitched clicks, squeaks, whistles and trills. In fact they can make noise that are so high pitch that humans can't even hear them. They do have a language of sorts, where certain types of calls and squeaks signify danger or other important monkey communications.
 |
| Photo credit: Google |
Male pygmy marmosets may make display of strenght and prowess when confronted by other males and competing territory. They do this by raising and flattening their ear tufts, arching their backs, grimacing while eyeing each other and displaying their genitals. Female usually give birth to two and sometimes three babies.
These monkeys are not good pets as they do bite and throw feces. In captivity they are not happy away from their families and are hard to care for. They are not considered as endangered species.
Resources: www.honoluluzoo.org
No comments:
Post a Comment