Kingdom : Animalia Class : Mammalia Family : Callitrichidae Scientific Name : Callithrix Pygmaea Size : 14 - 16cm (5.5 - 6.3in) Weight : 120g - 140g (4.2 - 4.9oz) Top Speed : 40km/h (24mph) Life Span : 8 - 12 years Colour : Brown, Tan, Grey, Black, White Skin Type : Fur Special Features : Long tail and furry ear tufts
- Pygmy Marmosets are smallest species of monkeys in the world found in South American Jungles.
- On an average, they grow to be around 15cm tall and have a 20cm long tail.
- The long tail provides them with perfect balance while jumping between the tree branches.
- Their sharp claws help them climb trees and they inhabit the canopy tree tops assisted by their light weight.
- They are often called as pocket monkey and the little lion by tourists for their tiny size.
- They are omnivores feeding on berries, fruits, insects and reptiles.
- Their natural predators are wildcats, snakes and birds.
- Though they are popular choice for exotic pets, they are quite difficult to keep.
- They tend to dislike their owners a lot and show their aggressiveness by biting them and throwing their feces at them.
- They are also quite time consuming as pets as they need to be fed every two hours for the first two weeks after they are born.
- They are also prone to depression and are likely to die if they are separated from their family.
- They live in troops comprising the head male and female with their offspring.
- The dominant male of the troop continues to be dominant despite the presence of other males in the troop.
- The female pygmy marmoset gives birth to one or two babies after a 4.5-month gestation.
- The babies are carried by the male pygmy marmoset till the babies are capable to look after themselves.
- Habitat loss through deforestation has made the pygmy marmoset a species that is threatened from extinction, today.