World's Tiniest Monkey Species Born at Chester Zoo

A baby Eastern Pygmy Marmoset – the world’s smallest species of Monkey – was born January 3 at Chester Zoo.

Photo Credit: Chester Zoo

You can imagine how tiny these infants are – even fully grown, Pygmy Marmosets weigh only one-third of a pound and are about five inches long. The baby is so small that at two months old, it is only now large enough to be spotted by zoo guests.

The itty-bitty infant, who has yet to be named or sexed, is carried by its father Gumi. The baby’s mother, Audrey, nurses her baby but performs no other parental care, which is typical for this species.

Eastern Pygmy Marmosets may be the smallest of all Monkeys, but they’re not the quietest. They emit loud squeaks and whistles, which can be heard throughout the rain forests where they live in Brazil, Ecuador and Peru. Marmosets are tree-dwellers and feed on insects, fruits, and tree sap.

These petite primates are threatened by habitat destruction and their capture for the pet trade.

See more photos of the baby Marmoset below.