Rin is the very special animal that comes into Timmy Hawkins’ life when Timmy most needs a friend. Timmy spied Rin sitting on the fence in the backyard one evening after a bad day at school.

Rin is a Golden Lion Tamarin, also known as the golden marmoset, and is a type of New World monkey.

One of the most vibrant primates in the world, the golden lion tamarin is named for the long golden to orange mane around its face. Tamarins are arboreal monkeys, spending most of their time in the trees, and are only found in isolated lowland rainforest patches along the south-eastern Atlantic coast of Brazil. Slightly bigger than a squirrel, the average head to body length is 26 to 33 centimeters with a tail that is roughly a third longer than its body. Tamarins play an important role in seed dispersal and feed on fruits, nectar, flowers and even small animals and insects. They are active during the day and burrow in tree cavities or dense vines at night to protect themselves from nocturnal predators such as ocelots, snakes, hawks and eagles. Small groups of tamarins are called troops, and include 2 to 11 individuals. Only one female breeds one to two times a year, producing twins that are cared for by the entire troop.

Although golden lion tamarins were down listed from a critically endangered status in 2003, they are still considered an endangered species due mainly to habitat loss and also the pet trade. Fortunately, their numbers have increased over the past 30 years due to conservation efforts and reintroduction programs. Today, an estimated 3,200 golden lion tamarins live in the wild with nearly 500 living in 150 zoos around the world.

-Allison Hegan, No More Endlings: Saving Species One Story at a Time, www.allisonhegan.com