金獅狨是生活在中南美洲的一群小型猴子，全身披散著金色絲絨般的長毛，臉部圍繞有如公獅般金紅色長鬃毛，就像一頭小獅子，因而得名。金獅狨是狨科中體形最大的一個族群，身長約50公分，尾巴30公分。雌雄外觀上相似，是高等靈長類中比較原始的一支，屬於新大陸猴。

金獅狨這類狨科猴子因大量吸食樹液，門牙也演化成微向前傾，便於啃樹皮。金獅狨是很有社會組織的動物，一個群體通常由8隻以下的成員組成，由一對成年金獅狨帶領，白天活躍在樹端，晚上睡於樹洞內。以昆蟲、蜘蛛、蠕蟲、植物的嫩芽、花朵、果實等作為食物。

由於森林資源日益減少危及生存環境，加上外型漂亮遭到獵捕，自1982年起已被列入瀕臨絕種猴類。

The golden lion tamarins is a group of small monkeys that live in Central and South America. The golden lion tamarin's name derives from its bright reddish orange pelage and long hairs around the face and ears, giving it a lion-like mane. The golden lion tamarin is the largest of the callitrichines. The body length is around 50cm with a tail 30cm long. Males and females look alike. The golden lion tamarin is considered to be a more primitive primate and is a member of New World monkeys.

Due to a large diet of tree sap, the front teeth of the golden lion tamarin have adapted and protrude out slightly, making it easier to gnaw on tree barks. Golden lion tamarins are highly social animals. A group usually consists of eight or fewer individuals, with a single breeding pair leading the group. During the daytime, they are active on the branches, while at night they sleep in tree holes. Their diet consists of insects, spiders, worms, shoots, flowers and fruits.

Deforestation, urbanization and poaching have threatened the golden lion tamarin’s habitat and survival. Thus, it was listed as an endangered species in 1982.