Birth of Golden Lion Tamarin twins

Our Golden Lion Tamarin twins, who are about to turn a month old, are doing well. The female gave birth to triplets, but unfortunately one infant did not survive as it was too weak. Triplets and even quadruplets can occasionally be born in zoos, but successful rearing of litters with more than two infants remains exceptional due to the energy costs for the parents.

This is the third litter for our pair formed in spring 2023. In the wild, females generally give birth to one litter per year. A second litter may be observed, provided food resources are sufficiently abundant.

The twins, until now robustly hung on to their parents' fur, are just beginning to leave their parents' backs to explore their close environment on their own. They will be weaned around 3 months of age.

Endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, the species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. About one-third of the wild population, currently estimated at around 3,700 individuals, is the result of reintroductions carried out in the 1980s and 1990s using captive-born golden lion tamarins. These reintroductions have contributed significantly not only to the numbers living in the wild, but also to the protection of 3,100 hectares of forest within their range.