In the forests of northern Colombia, a white tuft of fur peeks out amid the treetops. It belongs to a cotton-top tamarin, an endemic species easily identifiable by its signature hairstyle. Weighing less than 500 grams, the primate moves swiftly through the canopies. But cotton-top tamarins are running out of space to roam. Their habitat is fragmented by urban development, putting them at higher risk within the illegal pet trade. Researchers and biologists from the conservation programme Proyecto Tití are working with locals to not only save cotton-top tamarins, but celebrate the critically endangered animals.
During the 1960s, up to 40 000 cotton-top tamarins were exported to the United States for biomedical research. While regulations to prevent this have since been implemented, it’s estimated that only 7 000 cotton-top tamarins remain. As agriculture, human expansion, and mining drive deforestation, Proyecto Tití has joined forces with smallholder farmers to conserve sections of land as forest corridors. They are also working to replant areas with trees, providing tamarins with food, shelter, and the opportunity to disperse seeds.
These forests also protect cotton-top tamarins from human danger. While the animals are commonly kept as pets by families, Proyecto Tití is educating children who live at the edges of the forest to view the primates as the wild animals they are. To further dissuade people from poaching and cutting down trees for wood, the initiative supports locals to improve their livelihoods. They offer training for farmers to use sustainable practices, and create opportunities for individuals to craft cotton-top tamarin plush toys.
These coiffed creatures have since become a symbol of Colombian identity. Every 15 August, they’re honoured on the Day of the Cotton-Top Tamarin, where communities gather for performances and festivities. By commemorating the species, cotton-top tamarins form not only a part of the forest, but people’s hearts.
Footage by Proyecto Tití was used in the creation of this film.
