Newquay Zoo welcomes pair of rare tamarin monkeys
WeirdNews
A pair of rare monkeys has now moved to their new home
(Web Desk) - A pair of rare monkeys has now moved to their new home at Newquay Zoo.
The male and female cotton-top tamarins, named Santiago and Febe have arrived at the zoo as part of a breeding programme.
The monkeys are critically endangered in the wild, with only 2,000 left in their native habitat of north-western Colombia.
The zoo's animal team leader Dave Rich said he hoped visitors will "fall in love with the species".
They are one of the smallest primates in the world and can be recognised by their a distinctive crest of white hair that runs from their forehead to the back of their neck.
Newquay Zoo and parent organisation Wild Planet Trust, are committed to helping halt the decline of the cotton-top tamarins which are under threat from deforestation and exploitation in the wild.
Santiago and Febe are part of the EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) ex-situ breeding programme which sees animals moved to zoos like Newquay to help secure genetic diversity and safeguard against extinction.
It is hoped that the duo will be able to reproduce in their new home.
Mr Rich said: "Newquay Zoo has been successfully contributing to the conservation of these animals for decades.
"The new pair join four other species of callitrichid here at Newquay Zoo: silvery marmosets, pygmy marmosets, golden lion tamarins and Goeldi's monkeys.
"We hope that people will fall in love with the species, and help to support them wherever possible."
