Double delight as rare tamarin twins born at Shaldon

A pair of baby pied tamarins has been born at Shaldon Wildlife Trust, representing a big achievement for one of the UK’s smallest zoos.

The pied tamarin is among the most endangered primates in South America, restricted to a shrinking pocket of rainforest in Brazil.

In captivity they need stress-free environments and specialist care - and are notoriously difficult to breed.

The twins were born to mother Bobby and father Pedra at the end of September, but the news has been kept quiet during the crucial first few weeks of their lives.

They are now thriving, and visitors can see them exploring their habitat – often riding on the backs of their parents.

Zak Showell, Director at Shaldon Wildlife Trust, said: "Pied tamarins are exceptionally delicate animals, and breeding them successfully is a challenge.

“For a zoo of our size to achieve this, and to be one of just two European zoos to manage it this year, is an unbelievably proud moment for our small team.

"It has been an incredible year for births here at Shaldon, but these twins are extra special.”

He said that, to make sure pied tamarins don’t survive only in zoos, Shaldon Wildlife Trust has also been fundraising for frontline conservation work in their native Amazon habitat .

“Not only are we safeguarding a vital captive safety-net population, but our visitors are directly helping us fund conservationist Diogo Lagroteria and the ‘Projeto Sauim-de-Coleira’ on the ground in Brazil.”

It’s been a year of breeding success for the Shaldon Wildlife Trust, with new arrivals regularly making the news. They’ve included the birth of red-ruffed lemur quadruplets in June, Eastern pygmy marmoset twins in July and a margay wildcat kitten in September.