At the end of 2019, ABUN had called for a new project. This time it was about black-faced lion tamarins. These golden yellow monkeys with black faces, black mane, and black paws live in a small area in the border region of the Brazilian states of São Paulo and Paraná. The species was only scientifically described in 1990 and are one of the most endangered primate species.
Black-faced lion tamarins live in small groups of about three to seven animals. They are very social and take care of each other. However, only the highest-ranking pair has offspring.
Today only less than 400 animals exist. The IUCN, therefore, classifies this species as “Critically Endangered”. The loss of its habitat is its greatest threat.
Over the last decades, the species-rich Atlantic rainforest has been increasingly destroyed and fragmented. By forest fires, but above all by clearing off the valuable tropical wood and to make room for settlements, agriculture, and plantations. What remains are only isolated remnants of the Mata Atlântica.
In 2019, the SPVS (Brazilian Research Society for Wildlife and Environmental Education) initiated a program to conserve the black-faced lion tamarins.
The SPVS about the importance of the black-headed lion monkey conservation program:
To support the conservation program for the black-headed lion monkeys, ABUN project #29 was launched. I am very happy that 2 of the pictures I painted in the course of the project have now been used. The video of the SPVS shows the black-headed lion monkeys in their natural habitat. Even though the text is in Portuguese (which I, unfortunately, don’t know), the pictures speak for themselves.
Life in its beauty and diversity must be protected and preserved.
The pictures I painted can be seen in the credits. The watercolor was originally created in color but was used here in black and white. The drawing was made with pencil and graphite. The use of both images honors me very much!
