Terra Natura Benidorm has welcomed the birth of two new cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) in our facilities. With both births, we strengthen the conservation of these animals that are in danger of extinction. Due to the delicate conservation status of this species, these marmosets are included in the CITES annex, which is reserved for the most critically endangered species.

The parents are in care of the babies, so the veterinarians have not yet carried out any kind of physical examination  to not interfere with the breeding process and avoid the risk of rejection. However, they do keep a close eye on the mother and babies to check that the behaviour between them is completely normal and that there is social stability within the group.

Until the babies don´t start to separate from their parents, they will not be sexed or examined by the vets,which estimate that at birth they weighed approximately 50 grams and measured about 5 centimetres. The parents, named Martina and Basel, formed a family in 2022 with the birth of their 2 first babies.

Both parents are exemplary in their behaviour towards their babies. Most of the time, the mother carries them on her body so that they can suckle on demand and feed on the mother’s milk. The rest of the time she shares the care with the father to establish and strengthen the social bond. Normally, when they reach 4 months of age, they start to be independent and they become part of the group  without differences.

When the babies grow, their older siblings will also take care of them to ensure the bond as a family; these animals relate to each other within groups in which the family polarises the intra-group relationship. Female cotton-top tamarins have a gestation period of 5 to 6 months.

Cotton-top tamarins are considered to be one of the species of marmosets with the strongest family bonds. They stay in groups with brothers and sisters of different generations. The vocal communication of this animal includes a specific sound that is emitted when one of them finds its favourite food to alert the rest of the group and share it with them.