Philadelphia Zoo Welcomes Another Set of Pied Tamarin Twins
A baby boom is underway at the Philadelphia Zoo, where a new set of twin pied tamarins was recently born. The tiny monkeys, native to the rainforests of Brazil, are the latest additions to the Rare Animal Conservation Center, and their healthy appearance has raised hopes for the species' survival.
The twins, who have not yet been named, were born in mid-September, following a successful breeding cycle that saw two other pied tamarin infants welcomed by Whitney and Napoleon earlier this year. The new arrivals are the third and fourth offspring of the couple, whose sexes are still unknown at present.
Pied tamarins, listed as critically endangered due to habitat loss, environmental changes, and disease, face an uncertain future. Their population in the wild is expected to plummet by 80% by 2033. The Philadelphia Zoo played a pioneering role in breeding this species, becoming the first zoo in the US to successfully breed pied tamarins back in 2010.
Infant survival rates are notoriously low among tamarin species, with newborns weighing just over an ounce and often struggling to survive. Nevertheless, Whitney and Napoleon have demonstrated exemplary parenting skills, raising their older offspring to care for their new siblings every few hours until they're around eight weeks old.
"We're thrilled to welcome the newest members of our primate family," said Amy Skokowski, Director of Primates at the zoo. "Mom Whitney and dad Napoleon have proven themselves to be fantastic parents with their first twins born in February this year." The zoo's conservation efforts come as a relief, following the recent euthanasia of 15-year-old lioness Tajiri due to an aggressive form of cancer.
As the holiday season approaches, visitors can look forward to the zoo's festive attractions, including its LumiNature light show and a new 110-foot tall ferris wheel.
A baby boom is underway at the Philadelphia Zoo, where a new set of twin pied tamarins was recently born. The tiny monkeys, native to the rainforests of Brazil, are the latest additions to the Rare Animal Conservation Center, and their healthy appearance has raised hopes for the species' survival.
The twins, who have not yet been named, were born in mid-September, following a successful breeding cycle that saw two other pied tamarin infants welcomed by Whitney and Napoleon earlier this year. The new arrivals are the third and fourth offspring of the couple, whose sexes are still unknown at present.
Pied tamarins, listed as critically endangered due to habitat loss, environmental changes, and disease, face an uncertain future. Their population in the wild is expected to plummet by 80% by 2033. The Philadelphia Zoo played a pioneering role in breeding this species, becoming the first zoo in the US to successfully breed pied tamarins back in 2010.
Infant survival rates are notoriously low among tamarin species, with newborns weighing just over an ounce and often struggling to survive. Nevertheless, Whitney and Napoleon have demonstrated exemplary parenting skills, raising their older offspring to care for their new siblings every few hours until they're around eight weeks old.
"We're thrilled to welcome the newest members of our primate family," said Amy Skokowski, Director of Primates at the zoo. "Mom Whitney and dad Napoleon have proven themselves to be fantastic parents with their first twins born in February this year." The zoo's conservation efforts come as a relief, following the recent euthanasia of 15-year-old lioness Tajiri due to an aggressive form of cancer.
As the holiday season approaches, visitors can look forward to the zoo's festive attractions, including its LumiNature light show and a new 110-foot tall ferris wheel.
I think it's so cool that the Philly Zoo is doing such great work with the pied tamarins! They're like little miracle workers, raising those tiny guys and girls to survive 
. It's crazy how much of a difference conservation efforts can make - 80% of their population expected to plummet by 2033 is just heartbreaking 
. The zoo has been doing this for over 15 years now, and it's amazing to see the progress they've made 
. Can't wait to visit the LumiNature light show and ferris wheel with my fam! 
. its crazy how much work goes into raising them like Whitney and Napoleon are total tamarin superheroes 
anyways, can't wait to see these new twins thrive!
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, especially with breeding species like the pied tamarin. It's so cool to see them making a difference and helping these adorable little monkeys thrive 
. And can we talk about how cute they are? I mean, have you seen those little faces? 
It's just too much!
Such amazing news for conservation efforts 
Can't wait to see them grow up and thrive in the wild 
Baby survival rates are, tho, pretty low among tamarins... 
hopefully these babies make a difference! 
. can't wait to visit the zoo and check out the new exhibits 
. The stats on infant mortality rates are pretty rough, and it's heartbreaking to think about all those baby tamarins who won't make it 
. Still, with Whitney and Napoleon taking care of them, there's definitely a glimmer of hope 
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Let's just keep spreading awareness about the plight of these amazing creatures and maybe we can make a difference 
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. And have you seen those tiny newborns? Like, they're basically guaranteed to die within hours of being born 
. So yeah, good luck with that whole "exemplary parenting skills" thing... 
As for the pied tamarins, I feel bad for 'em - habitat loss and disease are no joke 
like what happened to tajiri tho? and btw, those twin tamarins are ADORABLE 
Their story teaches us that even small actions can make a big difference. I mean, think about it, if some dedicated zookeepers in Philly were able to breed these little guys back in 2010, what's possible when we all work together? It's also a reminder of how precious life is - those tiny tamarins are literally fighting for their lives every day! 
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. And hey, at least there's some festive cheer coming up soon 
, right? But for real though, let's keep an eye on these tamarins and see if we can do more to save 'em in the long run 
It's all about balance, right? We need to be supporting conservation efforts and protecting these animals in their natural habitats. Can't just keep bringing new babies into the zoo if we don't address the root issues...
They're already struggling so much in the wild, and now they're counting on us zoos for help 
...
. I love how the Philly Zoo is leading the way in conservation efforts for these precious animals