Page 144 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

144 ATLAS OF THE WORLD’S STRANGEST ANIMALS

Breakfast is a popular time for these tiny primates and on the They say that a change is as good as a rest, and that’s certainly
menu are exudates –tree sap and gum. true for these hungry little monkeys.

As the day moves on, marmosets switch to eating insects, Night falls, but before they retire for the night, the industrious
using their long fingers to pluck them from the undergrowth. marmosets gouge out some fresh sap holes, ready for breakfast.

When you’re no bigger than the size of a tin of soup, it to start flowing, it’s estimated that around 67 per cent of
can be hard to compete with large rainforest species for the marmosets’ day is spent feeding from pre-prepared
food. Luckily, pygmy marmosets have evolved to take holes or opening up new ones for later use.
advantage of a very specialized environmental niche.They To stay well fed, an average-sized marmoset troop,
are gumophores. consisting of a breeding pair plus their offspring from
These tiny monkeys have enlarged, forwards-turned, the last two years, needs about 10.2–40.7 hectares
lower incisors, which grow to the same length as their (25–100 acres) of territory.This they actively defend,
canines.The lower set has no hard enamel on the inner using calls, displays and scent marking, backed up by the
surface, which makes them self-sharpening.This enables occasional aggressive pursuits of intruders.
the marmosets to gouge holes through tree bark and make Tree sap isn’t very nutritious, so the marmosets’ sticky
a meal of the sap or gum (called exudates), which is diet is supplemented with a regular intake of insects, insect
released. It’s a tricky process, but the monkeys’ long fingers larvae, small lizards, spiders and fruit.When it comes to
and sharp claws help them to cling to the tree trunk while hunting, being small is a positive advantage, and these
their teeth do the real work.As it takes some time for sap furry fellows make surprisingly proficient predators.Their

(c) 2011 Marshall Cavendish. All Rights Reserved.