In the jungles of Colombia, cotton-top tamarins with a distinct “mohawk” sprouting from their sagittal crest leap in the trees.
These primates are a fascinating species that have been highly studies for their cooperative rearing of young and advanced language that includes basic grammar. While they used to be plentiful in the wild, they were heavily exported in the 60s and 70s for biomedical research. CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) gave them the highest protection and banned any export of them. Even with these protections, their numbers continued to drip, and today there are only about 6,000 individuals left. Legal export has been limited, but they have suffered from extreme habitat loss, inhabiting only 5% of their original space.
One of Riverbanks Zoo and Garden’s newest residents is an infant cotton-top tamarin named Pepita, who was rescued from sub-optimal living conditions. Because Pepita was so young, the Riverbanks team jumped into action, with vet staff coming in around the clock to feed her. The animal care team worked with experts to help determine the best way to attain the developmental milestones she hadn’t yet achieved. As she grew and become more independent, we were meeting her health and development needs, but we needed to figure out how to meet her social needs.
A temporary habitat was set up for her in the Riverbanks Conservation Outpost (RCO) with the Bolivian grey titi monkeys. They are a peaceful and cooperative species, so she was able to socialize with them for periods of time throughout the day. It was important for her to see and hear other primates, especially at such an early age where she was learning how to be a tamarin.
While the titi monkeys and Pepita co-existed well, we knew we needed to find a proper pairing for her with another cotton-top tamarin. By working alongside the AZA SSP® (Species Survival Program), a suitable match was identified at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in Massachusetts. Caqueta, a 12-year old cotton-top tamarin, successfully reared her own young on several occasions and was also in need of a companion. So, Riverbanks’ mammal curator and the vice president of animal health flew to Massachusetts to escort Caqueta to South Carolina.
Pepita and Caqueta went through a routine quarantine together, living in habitats set up close enough so they could see, hear, and smell each other. After quarantine, keepers moved them down to their permanent habitat in the RCO tunnel and began introducing them. The introductions progressed smoothly, and the tamarins quickly began showing positive behaviors including scent marking each other and sharing a nest box. They are thriving together at RCO as ambassadors for their counterparts, inspiring guests to learn more about how to help this critically endangered species.
