Born on the 23rd January our Pied Tamarin twins were Colchester Zoo's very first arrivals of 2015! As they continue to grow healthy and strong we are reminded just how special these little ones are to the survival of their endangered species!
Both of the twins are thriving and are beginning to eat some solid foods as well as taking themselves on little expeditions in the enclosure but never venturing too far from Mum Teela and Dad Will.
Dad, Will, has previously fathered young but at 5 years old, Teela is a first time mum! Keepers have been keeping an eye on this new family with Mum, Teela proving to be a very calm and relaxed mother. Dad is a little more anxious and doing a good job of protecting his young family.
Twins such as these are common for Pied tamarins after a gestation period of around 160 days. These primates are also known as bare-faced tamarins; they have white and brown fur covering their bodies but as the name suggests none on their face!
Pied tamarins are notoriously shy and so these little ones will be rather elusive and may be hard to spot until they are a little older. As one of the most endangered Amazonian primates these new arrivals are great news for the conservation of this species.