A small UK zoo in Devon is celebrating the birth of critically endangered pied tamarin twins, describing the new arrivals as “extra special.”
Rare Primate Births
Shaldon Wildlife Trust announced that the twins were born on 29 September to mother Bobby and father Pedra. Zoo director Zak Showell stated that breeding the species presents a significant challenge. The infants are currently thriving and have begun riding on their parents’ backs while exploring their enclosure. Showell remarked that for a facility of their scale to achieve this success, making them one of only two European zoos to manage it this year, represents an immensely proud moment for the team.
The trust explained that pied tamarins rank among the most endangered primates in South America and are classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. In their natural habitat, the animals are restricted to a diminishing area of rainforest surrounding Manaus, Brazil. The species demands a stress-free environment and specialized care to reproduce.
Zoo keepers deliberately kept the birth secret for several weeks to provide the vulnerable family with complete peace and quiet. Showell noted that it has been an exceptional year for animal births at the facility, but these twins stand out as particularly extraordinary.
