
The magic of Walt Disney World never ceases to amaze.
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Babies Born
Earlier this week, a pair of adorable endangered twins were born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Located at Discovery Island at the center of the theme Park, a pair of cotton top tamarins live in their comfortable habitat. Due to their status as an endangered species, they were (at least up until a few days ago) the only cotton top tamarins in Disney World.
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The new babies are approximately four inches long and weigh about as much as a chicken egg. The newly born infants cling tight to their parents as mom and dad leap from tree branch to tree branch. This is typical behavior among baby cotton top tamarins for the first 14 weeks or so of life.
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Cotton Top Tamarin Monkeys
They are known as being a highly intelligent species with 38 (perhaps more) distinct calls used to communicate with each other. The monkeys are also about the size of a squirrel and still weigh less than one pound when fully grown.
The birth of the twins is an example of how Disney World works with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan to help ensure responsible breeding of threatened species. The theme Park and Resort also work with organizations, such as Proyecto Titi in Colombia, to help protect this critically endangered species.
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The birth of these babies marks the first cotton top tamarin monkey births at Walt Disney World Resort in over 22 years. Cotton top tamarins are rare, with less than 7,500 remaining in the wild. The primates are critically endangered due to illegal pet trade and extensive deforestation.
Guests visiting Disney Park over the next few months will likely see the twins and their parents together.