Meet the Zoo: The Golden Lion Tamarin

Zoo babies are always interesting and most rate high on the cuteness scale. The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Prospect Park Zoo has had a birth that is both significant and super adorable.

Pablo and Teodora, two beautiful and endangered golden lion tamarin monkeys, have had their first offspring, born July 16. For weeks afterwards, the baby was barely distinguishable from its parents beautiful golden fur. Sometimes a tiny tail could be seen wrapped around a parent’s waist or one could just make out a tiny head with pinpoint black eyes peeking out. But most of the time, guests were unaware that these two monkeys were caring for a very special package.

Golden lion tamarins—like all tamarin monkeys—share parental duties. These South American primates live in social family groups and the males will take over care of the young in between feedings.

Dad, Pablo, was born in 2004 and came to The Prospect Park Zoo from Zoo Atlanta. Mom, Teodora, was born at the Baton Rouge Zoo in 2008. Their pairing was a recommended breeding match through the national Species Survival Plan, a program that works to ensure the genetic diversity of endangered species in zoos and aquariums.

In the wild, these animals are threatened by an extreme loss of their natural forest habitat in the Atlantic rainforests of Brazil. Expanding logging, agriculture and industry are just some of the activities
that are absorbing pristine rainforest environments and driving inhabitants like the golden lion tamarin to possible extinction.

The Wildlife Conservation Society began supporting wildlife research and conservation in Brazil’s Amazon basin in the early 1970s and today WCS works not only in that area, but also in Brazil’s Pantanal and the Atlantic Forest to reconcile human needs with those of wildlife.

Prospect Park Zoo’s little golden family is secure in their planted exhibit in the Animal Lifestyles building, gazing back at visitors who are now cooing over the very visible infant.

The youngster is just starting to become independent and climbs around on branches slightly out of reach of its parents. But the independence does not last long and in a few minutes the baby cries and one of the parents immediately gathers it up.

Since the infant has not needed any keeper intervention, animal staff has not yet been able to tell if it is a male or female so a name is pending. More than likely, it will be given a Portuguese or Spanish name that honors its native Atlantic Forest home in the hope that the region continues to be a haven for these beautiful creatures.