TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A female pied tamarin gave birth to twins at the Philadelphia Zoo on February 27, 2025. The babies are the first offspring of their mother named Whitney and their father named Napoleon.
"In 2010, Philadelphia Zoo became the first zoo in the U.S. to breed this critically endangered species, and we’re proud to continue that legacy and contribute to their conservation," said Vice President of Animal Well-Being Rachel Metz, as quoted on the Philadelphia Zoo website on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
The birth of the twin babies is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding program.
Pied Tamarin is a primate species from the remote regions of Brazil listed as critically endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
A study suggested that there will be an 80 percent decline in the primate's wild population by 2033 due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Additionally, they are threatened by anthropogenic activities, competition with other tamarin species, and diseases.
According to the management of the Philadelphia Zoo, the pied tamarin gave birth after a six-month gestation period. This species typically gives birth to twin offspring with fur covering their entire body, weighing an average of 1.5 ounces per baby.
Male tamarins usually carry the babies and return them to the mother for nursing every two hours. Their offspring can only start consuming solid food that is chewed at the age of one month. They will ride on their parent's back for about eight weeks.
Physically, they have long hands and feet with pointed claws, except for the broad, flat nail at their big toes. Pied tamarins are omnivorous animals that play a dual role in the ecosystem, such as seed dispersal and controlling small pests. They flick their tongue rapidly as a form of communication to signal recognition, anger, or curiosity.
Primate Director Amy Skokowski stated that the pied tamarins with striking patterns and bald heads attract the attention of visitors to the rare animal conservation center at the zoo. "Our primate team has done an excellent job providing the right conditions for successful breeding and child rearing," she said.
The Philadelphia Zoo has not yet revealed the sex and names of the twin pied tamarins. They confirmed that currently, there are six pied tamarins under their care, namely two males named Vedder and Napoleon, and two females named Whitney and Whoopie Pie, including the two newborn twin babies.
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