Episode 20: One Golden Chance

The golden lion tamarin stands as a beacon of hope and survival in the face of extinction after an outbreak of yellow fever led to a loss of nearly a third of their wild population.

In the 1970s, tamarin numbers dwindled to fewer than 200 individuals in their native forests of Brazil. However, a decades-long captive breeding program, spanning 150 zoos globally, successfully reversed their decline. This journey continued as over 800,000 native trees were planted, establishing vital forest corridors to reconnect fragmented landscapes within the unique Atlantic Forest, their sole habitat on Earth.

Regrettably, a recent yellow fever outbreak led to a significant loss of over 1,000 tamarins, imperiling a meticulously managed genetic recovery program. Fortunately, virologist Marcos da Silva Freire pioneered a groundbreaking approach. He rapidly adapted a human vaccine to inoculate almost 400 tamarins, a pioneering endeavor among wild animals. Today, the tamarin population has soared to 4,800 individuals, nearly doubling their numbers before the yellow fever outbreak. This journey from the brink of extinction to recovery exemplifies the potential of conservation and scientific intervention, providing renewed hope for this iconic species’ future.