Habitat: Tropical and Secondary forests of Colombia
Status: Critically Endangered
DAK Locale: Tree of Life
Around the Tree of Life and on the path to Rafiki's Planet Watch are exhibits of these small little animals from Colombia. It is one of the smallest primates in the world and one of the most endangered. To begin with, its range is limited to Northwestern Colombia and with habitat destruction it is now found in only 5% of its historic range. And it was used relentlessly in bio-medical research with tens of thousands being captured for that purpose. It is believed only 6,000 or so remain in the wild.
This animal is popular in zoos. Its is readily recognized for its tuft of white fur that starts on the top of its head and goes down its back. It is a diurnal animal, meaning it is mostly active during the day. Plus, it is quite social. In the wild, they form groups of up to a dozen, but only the dominant pair bears young, which is almost always twins. The dominant female releases pheromones that prevent other females from breeding. However, the group itself cooperates in almost all other aspects of life. In fact, this animal has been extensively studied for its seemingly altruistic behavior. Cotton tops also have a very sophisticated "language" which is acquired over time by the young.
These primates are omnivorous meaning they eat both plant and animals. In the case of animals, this limited mostly to insects but larger prey items have been recorded. However, it is a very important seed disperser in its native forests. A large portion of its diet is fruit. They ingest and void seeds at a higher rate than most of other fruit eaters, thereby helping the forest grow and thrive.
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