The David Traylor Zoo recently added three new residents.
The zoo announced Wednesday morning that cotton-top Tamarin triplets had been born on October 27. Zoo Director Lisa Keith says this is a significant addition to the zoo as the species of Tamarin is classified as “critically endangered.
Keith says the Tamarins are just one of several endangered species within the zoo as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’s Species Survival Plan.
The triplets were born to parents Kasasa and Hot Lips and their genders have not yet been identified. A thorough examination planned by Zoo Veterinarian Richard Mendoza is planned after the Tamarins have had “ample time to establish strong bonds within their family” according to Keith.
Cotton-top Tamarins are “diminutive New World” monkeys that weigh less than a pound and typically reside in tropical environments. According to a news release from the David Traylor Zoo, the species’ critically endangered status is largely due to deforestation that has led to the loss of more than three-quarters of its native habitat.
