Blackpool Zoo announce birth of critically endangered Cotton-top tamarin
A critically endangered Cotton-top tamarin has been born at Blackpool Zoo.
The tiny infant, born on June 16 and is constantly being cared for collectively by the group, who take turns carrying it on their backs to ease the pressure on the mother. This constant close contact makes it impossible to identify its gender at the moment.
The birth comes just ahead of the international awareness day for the highly at-risk species.
Day of the Cotton-top tamarin is celebrated on August 15 each year and Blackpool Zoo has a successful history of breeding and caring for the striking species, which develops a wild crest of white hair as it grows.
There are approximately 6,000 individuals remaining in the wild, just 2,000 of which are mature adults. With only two remaining fragments of Cotton-top tamarin habitat left in Columbia, they are in real danger of extinction.
This latest birth is another significant milestone for the zoo’s Cotton-top tamarin population, which has seven individuals across two social groups.
Parents Rosa and Rico are experienced in rearing young after having successfully raised twins last year and keepers are delighted to once again contribute to the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).
“We’re absolutely thrilled with this new arrival,” said Emma Swindells, Senior Keeper at Blackpool Zoo. “Every single successful birth helps secure the future of this precious species.
“Rosa and Rico are doing a great job and this species shares the raising of young with their entire group.
“Cotton-top tamarins are tiny, even as adults they don’t weigh more than 1lb and are just 8 to 10 inches long. As you can imagine, the babies are super small and extremely cute so it is always lovely to see the reaction of visitors when they spot one.”