Tiny-tailed residents of Bursa Zoo

BURSA

Among the smallest primates in the world, white-faced marmosets have been receiving attentive care at Bursa Zoo since their arrival a decade ago.

Located in the Osmangazi district and covering 206,600 square meters, the zoo, operated by the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, features 11 ponds, natural habitats and shelters for animals. Home to 150 species and a total of 1,112 animals, the facility welcomes nearly 1 million visitors annually.

Bursa Zoo houses both predators, such as lions, tigers, leopards, hyenas and vultures, and herbivores, including llamas, giraffes, koalas, tapirs, kangaroos and iguanas. As a full member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), the zoo is also home to one of its most popular residents: The white-faced marmoset, notable for its tail that is longer than its body.

Native to South America, these tropical rainforest primates live in small groups of eight to 10 individuals. With their sharp claws and arboreal lifestyle, adult marmosets typically measure 15 to 20 centimeters in body length, with tails reaching 30 to 35 centimeters. They spend their nights in tree hollows and sheltered nests.

Fed three times a day, the marmosets primarily consume tree sap, resin, fruit, vegetables, insects and larvae.

Zookeeper Arif Ardıç told the state-run Anadolu Agency that the white-faced marmosets have adapted well to their life in Bursa since being brought from their native South America.

“We have been caring for them with great attention for 10 years,” Ardıç said. “These monkeys feed on insects, larvae, worms and tree resins. We prepare a special breakfast mix of corn flour, wheat flour, bananas, honey, yogurt and vitamins.”

He added that the monkeys are given fruits and vegetables at noon, and nuts and larvae in the evening. “We currently have 10 marmosets at the zoo, and their average lifespan is about 10 years. They are among the smallest primates in the world and are rarely seen in the wild,” he said.

The marmosets have both indoor and outdoor enclosures, but they are not allowed outside during colder weather, Ardıç noted.