The world's smallest monkey… just got a whole lot smaller!
A baby Eastern pygmy marmoset hitches a ride with dad. pic.twitter.com/qR9dPrXnU6
— Chester Zoo (@chesterzoo) 24 February 2016
The tiny infant, who has yet to be named or sexed, will measure only five inches in length and weigh up to just 150 grams when fully grown.
The little youngster arrived to mum Audrey (6) but, aside from doing the feeding, female Eastern pygmy marmosets are known to do none of the parental care and so the mini monkey is being carried around by dad, Gumi (7).
The South American primates are native to the forests of Brazil, Ecuador and Peru where they are threatened by habitat destruction and their capture for the pet trade
Despite their tiny stature, pygmy marmosets make a lot of loud noises – their whistles and squeals can be heard throughout the rainforest.
The species has specialised diets which includes insects, fruit and tree sap.
Eastern pygmy marmoset facts
- Scientific name: Cebuella pygmaea niveiventris
- Pygmy marmosets are the world’s smallest species of monkey
- The gestation period for the species lasts approximately four-and-a-half months
- The word marmoset originates from the French word “marmouset” which means shrimp
- The gender of the zoo’s baby Eastern pygmy marmoset is currently unknown. A name has therefore not yet been chosen
- The tiny new arrival was born on Jan 3 2016 but has only now grown to a size which is big enough to spot