Pygmy marmosets are native to rainforests of the western Amazon Basin in South America. This includes Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia.

The creatures are the smallest monkeys in the world. Their head-body length ranges from 4.6 to 6.0 in (117 to 152 mm), and a tail from 6.8 to 9.0 in (172 to 229 mm). The average adult body weight is just over 3.5 oz (100 grams). Conversationally, the pygmy marmoset is known as the “finger monkey.” This is because it’s so small that it can wrap around a human finger.

Pygmy marmosets live in trees and eat the gum and sap of trees. They use their long, sharp claws for digging into tree bark and creating little holes to gather sap. They also lie in wait for insects, especially butterflies, which are attracted to the sap holes. The pygmy marmoset walks on all four limbs and can leap up to 16 ft (5 m) between branches.

As with all monkeys, a group of pygmy marmosets is called a troop. Most pygmy marmosets live in a troop of 2 – 9 individuals. It usually consists of a single male and female with their children, but there might be other adults tagging along as well. After a certain amount of time, both male and female juveniles will break off from their birth troops and leave to establish their own.

The average lifespan of the pygmy marmoset is 11-12 years in the wild. However, in captivity, they have been seen to be living up to 18.6 years.

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