RACINE, Wis — An Emperor Tamarin at Racine Zoo has given birth to two more newborns!
The Racine Zoo welcomed a second pair of tamarin twins on June 21. The births came about six months after their older siblings, Gabriella and Gianna were born on Dec. 22. This set a new record for the shortest interbirth interval at the Racine Zoo.
Despite the birth, it’s not uncommon for emperor tamarins to have a smooth pregnancy and birth for the mother. Mom Amelie was born at the Racine Zoo back in 2017. The newborn twins mark the seventh and eighth offspring of Amelie and her mate Pitino in less than four years. These births make a total of 16 emperor tamarins born at the Racine Zoo in total.
“This family has been so successful in building up the population of emperor tamarins in zoos, with newborns a constant nearly every year,” said Aszya Summers, Curator of Animal Care and Conservation Education during the press release. “The incredible success of this breeding program is a testament to the expertise and hard work of our primate keepers and our veterinary team, who work with the tamarins on everything from voluntary ultrasounds to voluntarily crating for exams. The bond the keepers share with these animals is nothing short of awe-inspiring, and the results of happy, healthy animals couldn’t be clearer.”
The twin baby monkeys are still very small and can often be seen riding around on mom and dad’s back and sometimes even the backs of their furry older sisters.
The Racine Zoo is a partner of the Species Survival Plan for emperor tamarins and tamarins that were born here are now living in zoos across the country. These zoos are located in states including Arizona, Texas, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Species Survival Plans are put into place in zoos that are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to help build sustainable and healthy populations for animals.
If you want to see the adorable little tamarins, visit the Racine Zoo fast as tamarins grow up fast and will grow independently very quickly. The family of tamarins will be on exhibit in the Zoo’s Vanishing Kingdom exhibit every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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