Australian zoo becomes home to highly endangered monkeys

An Australian zoo has entered into a global breeding program to bring a critically endangered monkey back from the brink of extinction.

Already home to Australian, African and Asian animals, Perth Zoo's new South American-like attraction "Amazonia" hosts a breeding pair of Golden Lion Tamarins as part of global effort to save the species through an "insurance population."

"With their golden silky manes, these primates are truly a stunning species but sadly endangered and have become a flagship species highlighting the demise of their tropical rainforest home, " Perth Zoo supervisor of zoology Holly Thompson said on Wednesday.

The decade-long global Golden Lion Tamarin Conservation program has enabled the critically endangered species to recover to about 1,600 individuals in their native Brazil after being as low as 250.

"It's all about providing a safety net against extinction," Holly said.

The tamarins are joined by six inquisitive Brown-nosed Coati's and two cheeky Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys.