The Behavioral Ecology Of Callimicos And Tamarins In Northwestern Bolivia
Species which are related share some characteristics and vary greatly in other characteristics. The differences may be in the way they perform activities and the way they live. Saddle-back tamarins, red-bellied tamarins and callimicos are some primates found in South America. They share many characteristics ecologically and at the same time differ in others. This paper evaluates the main distinctions among the three species.
The three species aforementioned live in the same ecology. However, there are some variations in the way they live and interact among their social groups. A four month studies on these species indicated the different variations. In travelling, the red bellied tamarins were found to exploit the highest levels of the arboreal canopy. Travelling in red bellied tamarins was characterized by quadruped bounding and acrobatic leaps with 67% of leaps and started and ended with a thin and flexible supports. Callimicos were found at the lowest parts of the arboreal canopy and travelled in a hind limb dominated bounding and leaping to and from vertical trunks. The saddle back tamarins on the other hand travelled in either the lower or middle parts of the canopy. Their travel was illustrated by stationary leaps, acrobatic leaps and trunk to trunk leaps.
Callimicos live in groups of five to ten members which comprises of mating pairs and their offspring. Female Callimicos stay with the new born for the first twenty days after birth after which all members of the group help in raising the young. Their diet is composed of fungi, fruits, arthropods, exudates, and other matter. Saddle back tamarins live in groups of three to twenty members with a few adults of both sex and the immature individuals of varying ages. Breeding females in this species usually produce twins once a year. The new born are carried by their mothers for seven to ten days after which they can be carried by other members of the group until they are two months old when they can travel on their own. Their diet consists of flowers, fruits, gums, nectar, insects and other small animals. Red bellied tamarins on the other hand live in groups of two to about thirteen members with either one female and one male or several females and several males.
Most of these primates are under threat especially the Callimicos. These species have been found to be living in areas near humans. Humans have been involved greatly in deforestation leading and poaching of these species putting them under the risk of extinction.
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