Twin babies of 'critically endangered' monkey species born at Chester Zoo

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Twins of a critically endangered monkey species have been born at Chester Zoo. Born to parents Leo and Treat following a five month pregnancy, the twins are of the cotton-top tamarin variety, so named for the mane of white fur on their head resembling a ball of cotton wool.

The species is native to a small area of northern Colombia where only 5% of their original habitat remains, due to forest clearing and logging for the paper, timber and agricultural industries.

It is listed as critically endangered on the International Union of Conservation and Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species.

It’s estimated that just 2,000 survive in the wild, having also been impacted by the illegal wildlife trade in which they are captured and sold as pets – making the birth of twins at the zoo a significant moment for their conservation. “It’s really important for the species”, said Mike Jordan, Animal and Plant Director at the zoo. “They’re exceptionally rare as more than 80% of their wild population has been wiped out in the last two decades alone.” “This severe reduction in their population has meant that our conservation breeding programme, coordinated with other major international zoos, is providing an increasingly vital lifeline.” It’s too early to tell the gender of the new arrivals, currently the size of golf balls weighing just 40g at birth and measuring 10cm from head to tail.