The black tamarin,
Leontopithecus chrysopygus, also a native of the Atlantic Forest in São Paulo was lost and forgotten to science until it was reported in a 1905 journal article. The primate was first described in 1823. Another six decades would pass before it was sighted again. Primatologist Alvaro Aguirre came upon two stuffed carcasses in a Rio shop that specialized in two other tamarins, the golden and golden-headed. Soon after their rediscovery, the government gave permission to send seven individuals to the Tijuca Biological Bank, which marked the beginning of their captive management. [photo credit: L. Candisani]
As the state grew, more electricity was needed so hydroelectric dams were built in the middle of black tamarin habitat. Fortunately, the head of the electric company had a scientific sensibility and set up a working group to prevent eradiction of the species by development. The efforts of company advisors and conservationists resulted in the establishment of the Moro Do Diabo park in 1986. Eighty percent of the black tamarin population lives in the park, with another 20% scattered in forest fragments. The park population is estiamted at 1200 individuals.
The conservation goal is to connect fragments and establish viable populations outside of Moro Do Diabo, for example in the Tiete River basin where black tamarins once lived. Estimates are that 600-700 black lion tamarins live in 19 forest fragments in the region. Conservationists hope to gain genetic diversity among isolated groups by relocating them or connecting their forest fragment with others by biological corridors.
The black-faced tamarin was once thought to be a color variation of
L. chrysopygus, but genetic studies in 1999 and 2008 dispelled this idea. Also known as the coastal tamarin,
Leontopithecus caissara, it lives in the state of Parana. Although its home is the largest stretch of uninterrupted Atlantic Forest, the primate was left stranded by the construction of a canal to connect inland São Paulo to coastal ports. It divided the black faced tamarin population between those stranded on what is now an island and the mainland. Not much is known about this species, especially why the population has remained small when it occupies such a large area of untouched forest. The last population estimate in 2002 was 392 still living in the wild. Researchers want to capture a few individuals to place tracking collars on them and determine if the contracted yellow fever. [photo credit: L. Sipinski] Their habitat situation is more favorable than their cousins despite being on the coast and separated by a waterway they cannot cross.
There are no captive black-faced tamarins, so intervention on the scale of the golden tamarin is not possible. Without a reserve population a natural disaster such as an epidemic or hurricane could wipe them out. Because of this danger, a decision was made in 2021 to establish a captive population for further study and conservation of the species. Next: Golden-headed lions between cocoa plantations.
