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The green planet announce the birth of its cotton-top Tamarin Twins

Tue 17 Aug 2021    
EcoBalance
| 3 min read
  • Dubai’s only in-door rainforest, The Green Planet announces the birth of its adorable Cotton-top Tamarin twins
  • The endangered species who can usually be found in the northwest of Colombia will join their Cotton-top Tamarin parents in calling The Green Planet home
  • It’s estimated that only 5 percent of Cotton-top Tamarins’ original geographic range remains in the wild – the new additions to The Green Planet form part of a conservation breeding program to help ensure genetic diversity within the species

Dubai: Dubai’s only in-door rainforest is today celebrating the birth of its latest residents to join The Green Planet family, the adorable Cotton-top Tamarin twins.

Cotton-top Tamarins are small monkeys weighing less than 0.5kg and can usually be found in the northwest corner of Colombia. As a critically endangered species, with it estimated that only 5 percent of their geographic range remaining in the wild due to deforestation, The Green Planet entered a conservation breeding program to help ensure genetic diversity within the species.

Victoria Lyn, General Manager – Attractions Leisure and Entertainment, Dubai Holding commented “Cotton-top Tamarins historically play an important role in seed dispersal and fertilization within the rainforest – making them a vital part of the rainforest ecosystem. However, in the early 60s and 70s Cotton-top Tamarins were often exported in their thousands to the US for medical testing related to colon cancer treatment. Along with this, deforestation, and human activity has unfortunately meant that their population has rapidly declined in the wild. Through our conservation breeding program, like many around the world, we hope that we can help support in re-building a healthy population of the species.”

Cotton-top Tamarins are known for their cooperative breeding and parenting; this means that there is a collective effort for both parents and the entire community to care for the young. Males are often known to help carry the young to allow the females to forage for food to produce the milk needed by the young. When the young move from drinking milk to eating solid food, the father and community play a large role in offering the young different foods. 

There is still a long road ahead for these first-time parents and successfully raising twins on their first time reproducing has a statistically low success rate. With that said The Green Planet team is cautiously optimistic that they will be continuing to thrive and are ready to step in if the new parents need any extra support. With the Cotton-top Tamarin twins successfully settling well into their new home, they are now available to see at Dubai’s only in-door rainforest, The Green Planet, with tickets to purchase online at https://www.thegreenplanetdubai.com/en

Cotton-top Tamarin Facts

  1. Cotton-top Tamarins are classified as a ‘New World’ species of monkey, who made their way across the ocean some 30 million years ago
  2. When they’re alarmed or excited, their voluminous plume of white fur becomes raised in an effort to make themselves look bigger and more impressive
  3. Cotton-top Tamarins are highly vocal animals, using a variety of bird-like chirps, high pitch trilling, and staccato calls – some of which are too high-pitched to be heard by a human ear
  4. Cotton-top Tamarins enjoy a variety of sweet and delicious tropical fruit
  5. Female Tamarins will apply their scent-marking tactics to warn off any intruders, while males will use vocal threats, physical aggression, raising their hair and even sticking out their tongue

Photos: Supplied


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