This New World primate is easily distinguished by the crest of white hair on its black head. When it stands on its hindlegs in an aggressive display, these hairs sometimes become erect.
The cotton-top tamarin is arboreal and forages by day, eating fruits, insects, and small vertebrates such as mice and birds.
It lives in groups of three to thirteen.
One of its many vocalizations is a warning whistle that serves to alert others of an aerial predator.
Both sexes help care for the young, and two weeks after birth, the father becomes the primary parent to carry the offspring about. Siblings also help out, affording them a chance to practice parenting skills.
Ready for the next mammal? Check out the Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo.
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