Pygmy Marmosets are able to live in the very highest leaves of a tree because of their incredibly small size, which allows them to do so. The Pygmy Marmoset is notoriously difficult to spot in the wild on account of its lightning-fast movement and ridiculously diminutive size. The habitat of the Pygmy Marmoset is tropical rainforests, particularly those found in South America; however, there are some individuals that call the southern and eastern part of Africa home. The Upper Amazon basin to the east of the Andes is the primary habitat for Pygmy Marmosets. This includes parts of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Northern Bolivia, and Brazil. Pygmy marmosets live in groups that occupy territories that are smaller than one acre. The males of these groups guard their territories by exposing their genital organs. Pygmy marmosets are equipped with specialized scent glands that allow them to establish their dominance over their territories and mark their territory. When two male Pygmy Marmosets from rival families come face to face with one another, they will threaten one another by rapidly flattening and erecting the ear tufts on each of their ears. They will walk close to one another with their backs arched, the corners of their mouths pulled back, and the tufts of hair on their ears smoothed down. What a sight to behold! The understory layer of the forest is where Pygmy Marmosets make their home. This is the layer of the forest that is immediately below the canopy. It is extremely unlikely that you will come across a Pygmy Marmoset on the ground in the rainforest. The following are some examples of the kinds of trees that are home to Pygmy Marmosets:
- African Tulip Trees
- Tropical Oak Trees
- Tropical Dwarf Papaya
- Coral Tree
- Perfume Acacia
- Princess Trees
Pygmy marmosets are ideally suited for the understory layer of the rainforest because the long branches that are pliable and bend easily allow them to move freely between the trees in the canopy. The Pygmy Marmoset Monkeys are able to build their nests and rest on the many vines and branches that are found in the understory layer.