NOTES ON THE NATURAL-HISTORY OF THE BLACK-FACED LION TAMARIN LEONTOPITHECUS-CAISSARA

This paper presents preliminary results of a long-term study on the ec ology, behaviour and conservation of the black-faced lion tamarin Leon topithecus caissara, one of the rarest and possibly most endangered So uth American primates. The data presented here are from the first four months of study with one group of L. caissara at the Superagui Nation al Park, Parana State, Brazil. The study shows that L. caissara sleeps mainly in tree dens, has a diet composed of fruits, insects and small vertebrates and is more active in the early morning and Late afternoo n, spending the midday hours resting or moving at a slower pace. These results do not demonstrate any major behavioural and ecological diffe rences between L. caissara and the other three species of Leontopithec us.