Our veterinary team has successfully operated on a female titi lion with golden head (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) of a tumour, which she had in her uterus. Marilyn, this is the name of this 11-year-old titi, she is now recovering satisfactorily and, in a few days, she will be transferred from the park clinic to her usual facility.
The zookeepers of Marilyn, which gets its name from the mole on its face and remind us of the popular actress Marilyn Monroe, detected changes in the behaviour of the animal and they could see she had lost appetite and was showing signs of decline. After performing a physical examination, the veterinarians verified that the animal presented a tumour mass in the abdomen and proceeded to take a sample to be analysed in a laboratory.
The extraction of the biopsy was carried out by guided ultrasound. Once the results were known, the decision was made to remove the tumour. To undertake the intervention, the marmoset has been moved from its premises to the park’s veterinary clinic. The surgery consisted in a laparotomy that allowed the removal of the abdominal mass that the primate had. After the operation, Marilyn remains under observation and in a few days, she will return to her facility with the other members of the species.
This species is native to the Amazon rainforest and is severely threatened. In fact, the specimens kept in captivity have the protection and control of the Brazilian government. Terra Natura Benidorm is one of a few zoological institutions that have the necessary conditions to house this species.