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We have a new Animal of the Month!

September 15, 2019

In September we are celebrating one of our smaller primates, the cotton-top tamarins

Cotton-top tamarins are September’s Animal of the Month! 

Each month we are focusing on one of the species around the zoo, to focus on their quirky facts and even conservation efforts in place to support the species in the wild.

This critically endangered species is found only in north-western Colombia. Cotton-top tamarins are seriously threatened by the destruction of their habitat. They are found in three protected areas, but even these areas have lost a significant amount of their forests. This species has been protected in Colombia since 1969 and they are listed on CITES Appendix I, which means that the trade in these animals or any of their parts is illegal. Cotton-top tamarins used to be trapped in large numbers for the pet trade and to be used in medical research, but this was banned in 1974.

Here are our top three facts about this species: 

  • Tamarins are able to leap from tree trunk to tree trunk, gripping onto the tree bark with their claw-like nails.
  • When resting or sleeping, tamarins coil their long tail over their shoulder and along their back.
  • Groups of tamarins use contact calls to stay in touch with each other when they are moving through the forest.

Our cotton-top tamarins can be spotted behind Marwell Hall and can be adopted as a premium package!