Junagadh Zoo gets pair of world`s smallest monkey

Rajkot: Two pygmy marmosets, known as the world`s smallest monkey species, have been brought to Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh under an exchange programme.

"A pair of pygmy marmosets, the smallest species of the monkey, also called pocket monkey, has been brought here from Mysore Zoo under animal exchange programme," said VJ Rana, director of Sakkarbaug Zoo.

Rana said no other zoo in Gujarat had this species.

The Mysore zoo got a pair of lions in return.

A pigmy marmoset is just 5.5 to 6.5 inches `tall`, and weighs 300 to 500 grams. The species is found in Western Brazil, South-Eastern Colombia, Eastern Ecuador and Eastern Peru, zoo officials said, adding that the tiny animal`s diet includes fruit, leaves, insects, small reptiles and tree-sap.

PTI