Lifespan: Up to 10 years
Wild Diet: Fruits, insects, spiders, lizards, frogs and snakes.
Zoo Diet: Meat, grains, vegetables and minerals
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Habitat/Range: Dense, scrubby undergrowth of the Amazon rainforest in the upper regions of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Characteristics: Goeldi's marmosets are small primates. Adults are blackish brown with thick, soft hair. They have a mane which drapes their neck and shoulders. Their bodies are around 8 to 9 inches long and their tails are 12 inches long. The head and dorsal surface are usually spotted with white flecks and their tails sometimes contain 2 or 3 light colored rings at the base.
Behavior: Goeldi's monkeys usually live in extended family groups of about 4-10 animals made up of a breeding pair and their offspring. The latter remain in the group, even when mature, to help care for their younger siblings.
Reproduction: Goeldi's gestation lasts for about 145-152 days, giving birth to a single offspring, unlike most species in this monkey family which give birth to twins. The mother cares for the infant for the first 10-20 days of its life, after which other members of the group assist in caring for it. After about 7 weeks the offspring is able to move and forage by itself. Sexual maturity occurs at 8.5 months for females and 16 months for males. Unlike other monkeys, they have the ability to reproduce twice a year.
Conservation: Goeldi's monkeys prefer to live in dense undergrowth. They are rare to find due to their specific habitat requirements. Goeldi's are listed as Vulnerable, there is reason to believe the species will decline by at least 30% over the coming 18 years (three generations) due primarily to habitat loss.