Riverbanks Conservation Outpost
Journey through the Riverbanks Conservation Outpost and observe unusual and fascinating small mammals, including golden-lion tamarins, Matschie’s tree kangaroos and black-footed cats.
Black-footed Cat
Quick fact: The smallest cat species in the world is so-named for the black undersides of its feet. The black-footed cat may be small (3 to 4 pounds), but it is also a fierce predator.
Crocodile Monitor
Quick fact: The name reflects its predatory nature. Unlike other types of monitors, the crocodile monitor has a decided taste for vertebrate prey such as birds and arboreal mammals.
Photo courtesy of ©Richard W. Rokes.
Golden-lion Tamarin
Quick fact: A tamarin’ diet consists primarily of insects and fruit, but they also eat spiders, snails, lizards, eggs and small birds.
Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo
Quick fact: Riverbanks was awarded the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) International Conservation Award for its support of the conservation of Matschie’s tree kangaroos in Papua New Guinea.
Red-ruffed Lemur
Quick fact: “Lemur” is Latin for ghost. The first red-ruffed lemurs were discovered in Madagascar by early French explorers, who heard the animals’ plaintive calls and wild shrieks and mistook them for the souls of the dead.
Ring-tailed Lemur
Quick fact: Ring-tailed lemurs use specialized scent glands located on the inside of their arms to mark their territories. They often rub their tails on these glands and then wave their tails in the air at an intruder as if to say “back off”! This is called stink-fighting.