Meet the New Monkey
Scientists have discovered a new monkey in Brazil. The tiny animal is about the size of a squirrel. It weighs seven-and-a-half ounces and is only nine inches tall. The mini-monkey's fur is mostly gray and brown. It has a spotted back that looks like a saddle. It also has a very long tail.
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced the discovery this month. The WCS says that finding new types of mammals is quite rare. Most mammals are warm-blooded animals. They have fur or hair on their skin. Mammals also have a skeleton inside their bodies.
"We keep finding new types of plants, insects, and butterflies," said an official with the WCS. "But it is more and more difficult to find newer types of mammals."
Scientists found the little monkey in Amazonas (am-uh-ZOH-nuhs), a state in the country of Brazil. They named it Mura's saddleback tamarin, after the Mura Indian tribe whose members live in the same area.
Already in Danger?
Scientists aren't yet sure how many saddleback tamarins make their homes in the area. But they may have to work quickly to learn as much as they can about these animals.
The scientists fear that the tamarins are in danger because the rain forest is shrinking. Pieces of land are being cleared for building projects. A huge part of the animals' rain forest home has been cut down to build a highway. People who work to protect wildlife are alarmed about how this will affect the little monkeys.
The shrinking rain forest threatens more than just the tamarins. Scientists believe this area has many undiscovered plants and animals. If the building projects continue, the WCS fears that much of the wildlife will not survive.
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