Critically Endangered Cotton-Top Tamarin Births Tiny Twins the Size of Eggs in Disney Zoo

(Photo : Jonathan Nackstrand / Getty Images)
Newborn critically endangered cotton-top tamarin twins are the new addition to the zoo in Disney Orlando.

A critically endangered cotton-top tamarin in the care of the Disney World Zoo recently gave birth to twins that are as adorable and little as chicken eggs.

Cotton-top Tamarin Twins in Disney's Zoo

For the first time in more than 20 years, there are newborn critically endangered cotton-top tamarin monkeys at the Orlando theme park Walt Disney World in Florida, where two little monkey twins have made their appearance. There are currently just two of the young animal species remaining in the world, and they were both born at Animal Kingdom.

The monkeys were born Tuesday, according to a statement from park authorities, at a little under 4 inches long and approximately the weight of an ordinary chicken egg. They won't get much bigger, however; adults typically measure similar to squirrels and weigh less than a pound.

As their parents do acrobatic leaps from branch to branch in their habitat on Discovery Island, these tiny infants cling tenaciously to their parents, according to Mark Penning, the Disney Parks' Animals, Science, and Environment division vice president.

They are the park's first cotton-top tamarin births since 2001.

Since the genders of the monkeys are yet unknown, Penning said they have not yet been given names.

Critically Endangered Species

The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species classifies cotton-top tamarins as "critically endangered," with at least 80% of the species' population falling during an 18-year span. The group stated that the most important culprits are deforestation and the unrestricted pet trade in Colombia, where the species is endemic.

Disney stated that there are less than 7,500 individuals of the species still living in the wild, and of those, the IUCN estimates that 2,000 have grown to adulthood.

The capacity of the animals to bear twins is not exceptional, despite the rarity of the creatures themselves, according to Penning. He added that it is, in fact, "quite typical."

Also Read: 10 Rarest Albino Animals in the World 

According to Disney, the animals are renowned for being "tiny-but-mighty," and they can jump 15 feet off a tree and make at least 38 "distinct calls" to interact with one another.

Disney officials claim that by having a total of four cotton-top tamarins in the park, they are significantly contributing to the preservation of their species.

Despite their little size, the twins will be crucial to the survival of one of the most threatened monkey species, according to Penning, who also noted that they are a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan, which aims to responsibly breed endangered species.

However, for the time being, the infants must be carried for up to 14 weeks and are "completely dependent" on their parents for their survival.

As first-time parents, mom and dad tamarins are dividing up the parenting responsibilities well, according to Penning, and it is anticipated that over the next months, the twins will grow close to both parents, CBS News reports

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