Sagüis - Primates of the New World

Sagüis - Primates of the New World

Many times when we walk through the municipality, we come across the so-called Saguis or Soins.

There are several species of these primates in the Brazilian territory, but the Sagui do Tufo Branco is a species native to the northeastern states and occurs in some remnants of Atlantic forest and caatinga of this region.

It is the most well-known and common marmoset can weigh between 350 and 450 grams, bigger tail than the body with the function of balancing and white coat around the ears. He lives in groups of up to 15 animals and has a daytime habit. They have a diet rich in fruits, insects, spiders, eggs, small vertebrates and also feed on gum from stumps that gnaw in periods of scarcity.

These animals reach sexual maturity at 18 to 24 months. The gestation period varies from 140 to 160 days. Usually two babies are born at each gestation which are carried by the mother herself or by other members of the group. The female breastfeeds her young until the two months, but with two weeks they already begin to try ripe fruits. At 20 days, young people begin to explore the environment a little, but still walk on the backs of their parents. When the pack is threatened, they emit very sharp winches, alerting every group and protecting their territory.
We can observe many similarities in being close to these curious and skillful animals, simply by being primates and sharing an ancestor common to all the animals in this group.

The Tufo White Sagittarius is a species that interacts with humans although it suffers from the loss of habitat due to the growth of urban centers and deforestation. In the municipality we have some areas that support the lives of these animals such as the Ecological Sanctuary, the State Park of Mata da Pipa and other remnants of Atlantic forest on dunes. We can contribute to the life of this and even other species by simply planting or maintaining the existing native trees, so that these serve as support for their feeding and displacement.

By Daniel Henrique Gil. Text originally published in the Bora Magazine - issue 04 - Feb / Mar 2014


Photo GalleryClick to zoom

Share Sagüis - Primates of the New World