SAN ANTONIO – If you visit the San Antonio Zoo, you may notice two new adorable faces in the Neotropica area that look just alike -- cotton-top tamarin twins.
The twins were born Nov. 27 and their births are even more celebrated, as cotton-top tamarins are critically endangered due to habitat loss, zoo officials said.
“2022 has been an incredible year of births,” San Antonio Zoo President and CEO Tim Morrow said in a news release. “There are few things cuter than seeing baby animals interact with their parents and the world. We are fortunate to share that with our guests while helping secure a future for each species. Stop by and visit our Cotton Top Tamarin family and help us cheer on mom and dad as they embark on their new journey of parenthood.”
Typically, these monkeys can only be found in the canopy of the Amazonia Rainforest in Colombia, zoo officials said. They’re also omnivorous and consume fresh fruit, bugs and tree sap.
Though it’s common for cotton-top tamarins to birth twins, usually only one survives if born in the wild, zoo officials said.
“Cotton-top tamarins live in large family groups until they reach sexual maturity and start their own families. The entire family participates in child rearing - at San Antonio Zoo, the babies can be found on both mom and dad,” zoo officials said.
This past summer, SA Zoo welcomed even more births, with 13 species ranging from West African crowned cranes, Malaysian giant pond turtles, Yunnan Mountain rat snakes, and psychedelic rock geckos.
To learn more about the SA Zoo or how to plan your next visit, follow this link.