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HomeArts/LeisureNashville Zoo announces birth of Two Cotton-Top Tamarins

Nashville Zoo announces birth of Two Cotton-Top Tamarins

Nashville ZooNashville, TN – Nashville Zoo has announced the birth of two cotton-top tamarins. The babies were born on November 2nd, 2021, to 8-year-old Caqueta (mom) and 16-year-old Pancho (dad).

This is Caqueta’s third set of infants. Nashville Zoo now has five cotton-top tamarins in their care including the two babies. Cotton-top tamarins have been on exhibit at Nashville Zoo since 2018 when Expedition Peru: Trek of the Andean Bear opened. These babies will stay at Nashville Zoo for at least two years and eventually go to other zoos to be a part of their breeding programs.

Fully grown cotton-top tamarins weigh about a pound and are around nine inches long. This species is among the most endangered primates in the world, so each birth in human care is crucial to the survival of the species. Cotton-tops can produce over 38 vocalizations and get their name from the mane of white fur around their face. Their diet is primarily fruit, but they will also eat flowers, nectar, sap, and insects.

Cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) are only native to the humid to dry deciduous forests of northwestern Colombia. Nashville Zoo is part of the AZA’s cotton-top tamarin Species Survival Plan® and financially contributes to Proyecto Titi, an organization in Colombia that works to engage communities in efforts to protect cotton-top tamarins in the wild. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists cotton-top tamarins as critically endangered due to deforestation of their natural habitat and illegal pet trade.

Guests can see cotton-top tamarins in their habitat visible from the women’s restroom at Expedition Peru: Trek of the Andean Bear, which was awarded America’s Best Restroom by Cintas in 2019.

For more information on cotton-top tamarins, visit www.nashvillezoo.org

About Nashville Zoo

Nashville Zoo is a nonprofit organization and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, assuring the highest standards of animal care and husbandry. The Zoo is actively engaged in conservation research, habitat protection, breeding programs, and education initiatives around the globe as well as in our own backyard.

With support from the Nashville community, donors, and sponsors including our Experience Partners: Coca-Cola Consolidated and Middle Tennessee Honda Dealers, the Zoo is a top Nashville attraction and is consistently voted one of the best places to visit by TripAdvisor, Yelp, and a host of local and national review sites. Nashville Zoo is located at 3777 Nolensville Pike.

For more information about Nashville Zoo, visit nashvillezoo.org.

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