Tamarins Times Two: Zoo Atlanta Announces Golden Lion Tamarin Births

Robin, a 5-year-old golden lion tamarin at , gave birth to three offspring, Saturday, Feb. 25. One of the three did not survive, but the surviving two appear to be thriving, the Grant Park-based zoo said.

The Animal Management and Veterinary Teams will continue to monitor Robin and her newborns closely, Zoo Atlanta said in a statement. Infant mortality is not uncommon in golden lion tamarins, which weigh only around 2 ounces at birth. While Robin is exhibiting appropriate care for her newborns, her mate, 5-year-old Theo, will take over as primary caregiver in a matter of weeks, typical behavior for golden lion tamarins.

Native to Brazil’s Atlantic coastal rainforests, golden lion tamarins are a conservation success: The wild golden lion tamarin population, which stood at just 250 in the mid-1980s, now numbers more than 1,600. Zoo Atlanta continues to support efforts to connect fragmented forest territories in Brazil to promote expansion of the species’ existing habitat.

The Golden Lion Tamarin Conservation Project, actively supported by Zoo Atlanta since 1992, once focused on reintroducing captive-born tamarins to Brazil. Originally devised to allow the monkeys to learn the climbing and foraging skills necessary for survival in the wild, “Golden Lion Tamarin Boot Camp” resulted in the successful reintroduction of several Zoo Atlanta-born tamarins. The multi-institutional partnership ultimately proved so successful that wild habitats reached carrying capacity, and zoos are no longer reintroducing new individuals.