The Cotton-top tamarin is easily recognisable by the fan of long, white hair from their forehead to the nape of the neck flowing slightly over their shoulders. Their shoulders and back are a greyish-brown and their chest, stomach and limbs are white. The inner thighs and rump are often a more reddish shade of brown. When a Cotton-top is alarmed or scared they have the ability to raise the hair on the crown of their head, this along with standing up tall gives the impression that they are much bigger than they really are.

In 2008 the Cotton-top tamarin was upgraded to critically endangered, due to a severe reduction in population, estimated to be greater that 80% over the past 3 generations (18 years) due to destruction of habitat. Deforestation is the greatest threat to the Cotton-top tamarin, it’s range in the 1980s was from South Costa Rica to North Colombia, however it can now only be found in the wild in North-west Colombia.

There are 3 protected areas for the Cotton-top tamarins to live however, although these areas are protected, they continue to suffer from the pressure of the growing local populations to extract resources or clear areas for agricultural activities.

The Cotton-top tamarin eats fruits, insects, new leaves or buds, small lizards and nectar. They spend a large portion of the day foraging for food, usually up in the trees but they do sometimes come down to the ground to forage through leaf litter.

Cotton-tops are usually found in groups of between 2 and 9 individuals, with one adult breeding pair. Other group members include their offspring and sometimes unrelated young animals of both sexes. An average age for a tamarin to reach is 13 years, although they have been known to live up to 24 in captivity.

Cotton-top tamarins can reproduce each year, after a gestation period of around 183 days, like other tamarins, the mother usually gives birth to twins, although single births do sometimes occur. The males usually carry the young, giving them back to the female for feeding.