Today, May 19, is Endangered Species Day, an initiative spearheaded by the National Wildlife Federation to recognize the importance of wildlife conservation and restoration efforts to all imperiled species – like our cotton-top tamarins.

The cotton-top tamarins, who reside on the third floor in LSC’s Eat and Be Eaten gallery, are a “critically endangered” species. The IUCN Red List categorizes the status of species into nine categories, from “not evaluated” up to “extinct,” which of course means they are no longer in existence. “Critically endangered” is, sadly, only two steps away from “extinct.

To put it simply, these monkeys are in trouble.

Like many animals, tamarins are victims of habitat destruction, mostly due to deforestation. An estimated 75% of the original distribution of these monkeys has been cleared away for human development, like pastures and roads. Now, it is estimated that less than 6,000 individuals remain in the wild. To put that into perspective, 6,000 people is 1 / 44th the population of Jersey City (which had 264,290 people in 2016)!

Want to help the tamarins? You can start by reducing the amount of energy you use. If you use less energy and resources, you save wildlife habitat around the world. Try incorporating simple habits – like turning like lights off and taking shorter showers – into your daily routine. When going out shopping, bring your own reusable bag, and choose energy efficient appliances. Follow the the R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle!

You can meet the cotton-top tamarins every day in our Eat and Be Eaten gallery, and even see them being fed at 9:15 am and 3:00 pm.

There are other species in our Eat and Be Eaten gallery that are considered “vulnerable,” which means they are likely to become endangered. These species are the gila monster, wood turtle, emerald tree boa, green tree python, panther chameleon, and leaf-tail gecko.