Zoo Boise, is announcing the birth of a cotton-top tamarin. The baby was born in April, and is the fourth child born to parents Eddy and Mimi. The new baby is doing well and joins a growing tamarin family, as big brother, Rockford, was born in 2022 and twins Momo and Suki were born last year in 2023. Zoo staff will learn the sex of the newborn during its first veterinarian exam this summer.
Guests can visit the entire cotton-top tamarin family at the Small Animal Kingdom in Zoo Boise. Like cotton-top tamarins in the wild, the new baby can be found clinging to mom or dad until they are old enough to move around on their own. Eddie and Mimi have proven to be excellent parents and are very protective of their young. Zoo Boise encourages guests to keep their voices calm and quiet when viewing the baby to limit any extra stress on the tamarin family.
“This is a wonderful addition at Zoo Boise,” said Boise Parks and Recreation Director Doug Holloway. “The new cotton-top tamarin baby helps advance our conservation work at Zoo Boise and serves a crucial role in contributing to their species, which is critically endangered in South America.”
At birth, cotton-top tamarins only weigh about 1.5 ounces, while adults weigh about one pound. Wild cotton-top tamarins are only found in the northwest region of Colombia and are classified as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List.
This birth is very exciting and significant for Zoo Boise. Parents Eddy and Mimi were matched as part of the Cotton-Top Tamarin Species Survival Program (SSP). The SSP is one of many important Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) conservation programs. The goal is to maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population for these animals in order to increase their numbers and be able to reintroduce certain zoo-bred animals into their natural habitats if necessary.
The zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last admission at 4 p.m. including on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27.
