Newcomers || Do you know what a golden-handed tamarind is? If not, this is your chance to find out, as Lagos Zoo has just welcomed three females of this primate species.
The animals were flown over from Fundación do Zoo in Santinllana, Spain and have now joined the ever-increasing family at the outdoor zoo in Barão de São João.
The golden-handed tamarind – also known as red-handed tamarind – is named after the contrasting reddish-orange hair on its feet and hands. It is native to wooded areas north of the Amazon River in Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname.
Tamarind’s usually measure between 20.5 and 28cm and can weigh from 400 to 550 grams.
They feed mainly off of insects, fruit, leaves, nectars, sap and other plant fluids and live in groups of two to six, spending most of their time among vines and branches of trees.
While their life expectancy is around 10 years in the wild, they’ve been known to live up to 20 in captivity.
The furry golden-handed animal is also known for being a great climber and jumper, having been seen jumping distances of over 20m without hurting itself.
All in all, the rural zoo where monkeys live free on islands surrounded by water, is a perfect location for this little primate.
