The primates' native habitat in Colombia's Amazonia Rainforest is being jeopardized by farming and urban development. SanAntonio SATX SanAntonioTX Conservation cuteanimals SanAntonioZoo
On Nov. 27, the San Antonio Zoo welcomed twin cotton-top tamarins into the world. While any new birth at the San Antonio Zoo is an exciting event, these were especially important because they assist essential conservation efforts, officials there said.
While these twin New World primates were born in the Neotropica area of the zoo, their wild counterparts can only be found high in the canopy of Columbia's Amazonia Rainforest. The roughly squirrel-sized animals are identified by their long tails and the distinctive frizz of white hair encircling their heads.
Roughly 6,000 individual cotton-top tamarins remain in the wild, and they're listed as critically endangered, according to wildlife experts. The leading cause of the creatures' declining habitat in Colombia's is the encroachment of farming and urban development. “There are few things cuter than seeing baby animals interact with their parents and the world,” San Antonio Zoo CEO Tim Morrow said in an emailed statement.
The San Antonio Zoo has a long history of facilitating stronger futures for endangered wildlife by pursuing a variety of conservation projects.