Population status of golden lion salamander

As early as16th century, when the first European colonists landed on the Atlantic coast of Brazil, they were surprised that it was difficult to find a "land" in this vast tropical rainforest. Now, a large area of forest has been cut down by human beings, leaving only isolated "green islands". There are only about 200 golden-headed lion-faced marmosets that have been living in this primitive dense forest, and they are still left in a large rainforest in the valley of southwest Brazil. Many habitats have been discovered 10 years without their trace.

This species is in danger of extinction. The reason is not only the loss of habitat, but also because they are so beautiful that many people dream of them, and poaching and smuggling activities have been rampant. Shortly after Columbus discovered the New World of America, the lion-faced marmosets and their relatives were brought to Europe one after another, because they have small and exquisite bodies and velvety soft and shiny fur, as well as funny faces, bright eyes and big tails that exceed their body length. Soon they made a sensation all over Europe, and for the rare and precious long-haired dogs, they were even less loved than their contemporaries. In France in 17 and 18 centuries, whenever some noble ladies and wives appeared in public, they would hug a marmoset from South America to improve their social status. At that time, when describing the scenery and human feelings of the society at that time, a writer wrote: "These little monkeys are really much more noble than the most fashionable women", which made a sharp irony on this phenomenon.

After the 20th century, there is a growing demand for all kinds of marmosets. According to statistics, during the period of 1960- 1965, 200-300 golden lion marmosets are transported from Brazil to various trading markets every year.

Most South American countries have banned or restricted exports and established national parks and nature reserves to effectively protect these rare species. For example, starting from 1969, Brazil stopped the export of lion-faced marmosets, greatly increasing the protection scope of primates. Nevertheless, the future of these beautiful small primates is still worrying.