Endangered Species 'Hwanggeummori Saja Tamarin' Moved from Everland to Seoul Grand Park

For the Welfare Improvement and Conservation of Internationally Endangered Species, Relocated from Everland
Seoul Grand Park to Continue Active Exchanges for Endangered Species Conservation

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] A family of the internationally endangered Golden-headed Lion Tamarin has moved to the South America Pavilion at Seoul Grand Park and has begun adapting to their new environment. The Golden-headed Lion Tamarin, native to South America, was previously housed at Everland but came to Seoul Grand Park through this exchange to improve animal welfare.

According to Seoul Grand Park, the tamarin monkeys, which are about the size of squirrels, have hooked claws and long tails, and are characterized by their agility despite their small size. These tamarins mainly inhabit the tropical rainforests of South America, living in high trees with their lightweight bodies, allowing them to reach the ends of branches in search of food. The three individuals brought in this time consist of a father and his two sons, forming a father-son group.

The tamarin monkeys have various appearances and equally interesting names. The “Emperor Tamarin (Saguinus imperator),” notable for its long white mustache, is said to have gotten its name because its mustache resembles that of German Emperor Wilhelm II’s Kaiser mustache. There is also the “Mustached Tamarin (Saguinus mystax),” which has a black face contrasted by white fur around its mouth, resembling a mustache.

The Golden-headed Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas), which has come to the South America Pavilion, is distinguished by dense, lush golden fur around its face that looks like a lion’s mane. It somewhat resembles a small lion and frequently searches for food and climbs trees using its long hands and fingers.

At Seoul Grand Park, visitors can also see another tamarin species. The Cotton-headed Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), which can be seen at Children’s Grand Park, has long white fur extending from its forehead to its shoulders, reminiscent of Albert Einstein’s hairstyle. In South America, it is also nicknamed the “Liszt Tamarin” because its hairstyle resembles that of the musician Franz Liszt.

The tamarin genus differs not only in appearance but also in behavior from other monkeys. Although they live in groups, only the highest-ranking female in the group is reproductively active, practicing a polygynandrous mating system, and they generally give birth to fraternal twins. Additionally, females and males other than the parents help with childcare, practicing cooperative breeding. Their evolutionary trend toward smaller size and cooperative care of fraternal twins are unique survival strategies.

The Golden-headed Lion Tamarin family quickly adapted after arriving at Seoul Grand Park. The South America Pavilion keepers said, “They are eating well without showing signs of unfamiliarity and have perfectly adapted to the new enclosure, spending varied and active times.” They added, “We look forward to visitors meeting this smart and adorable tamarin family once the indoor pavilion reopens following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.”

Meanwhile, the Golden-headed Lion Tamarin that came to the South America Pavilion at Seoul Grand Park is a critically endangered species classified as CITES Appendix I and IUCN EN, with only about 6,000 individuals remaining in the wild due to the destruction of their tropical rainforest habitat. These three individuals were brought in on a free loan from Everland. The exchange between zoos is a case of transferring animals under mutual agreement between institutions to control population numbers considering limited space and to improve animal welfare.

Seoul Grand Park Zoo Director Oh Kyung-yeon stated, “Seoul Grand Park will continue to actively exchange and cooperate with domestic and international zoos as a chair institution of the Korean Association of Zoos and Aquariums (KAZA), striving for species conservation and animal welfare.” He added, “Since obtaining AZA accreditation in 2019, we will use this as a stepping stone to participate more actively in international exchange programs, contributing to the conservation of internationally endangered species and enhancing the status of Seoul Grand Park.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.