Golden lion tamarin

Near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, South America

Golden lion tamarins once came close to disappearing from Brazil’s rainforests. Today, the picture is very different – and far more hopeful. Thanks to a targeted international conservation effort, with Copenhagen Zoo as one of its key driving forces, the population has grown once again.

The project was one of Copenhagen Zoo’s first conservation initiatives. Today, it stands as one of the Zoo’s greatest conservation success stories.

How the project started

The conservation project began in 1996, when Copenhagen Zoo helped establish the Brazilian NGO Associação Mico Leão Dourado (AMLD) in the Atlantic Forest. AMLD developed a strategic plan to improve conditions for golden lion tamarins, including purchasing land and restoring forest areas to expand the species’ habitat.

It took many years to secure the necessary areas, but the efforts paid off. A bridge was built across a busy highway, connecting two previously separated populations of golden lion tamarins. At the same time, new trees began to grow in the area – and only after several years were they large enough for the tamarins to feel safe crossing between the two areas and using the connection.

As part of this long-term conservation effort, Copenhagen Zoo has also helped reintroduce golden lion tamarins into the Brazilian rainforest through coordinated breeding programmes.

What we are working on right now

Today, Copenhagen Zoo contributes to the strategic planning of conservation efforts for golden lion tamarins in Brazil. We work closely with AMLD and the Brazilian government, supporting their local efforts through both advice and funding.

We also help monitor the populations in the Poço das Antas and União Biological Reserves. Since 2001, Copenhagen Zoo has also administered The Lion Tamarins of Brazil Fund, managing funds on behalf of other donors and ensuring that they are directed to where they can make the greatest difference.

At the same time, we work to raise awareness of golden lion tamarins and the challenges they face in the wild – both in Denmark and, especially, in Brazil through the ‘Rediscover the Atlantic Forest’ programme. Working with local schools and communities, the programme helps build understanding and appreciation of the area’s remarkable biodiversity.

The future of the project

We have already come a long way in our work to conserve golden lion tamarins in Brazil. In the long term, however, our ambition is to expand these efforts to include other lion tamarin species and apply what we have learned.