Cotton-topped Tamarins Born at Cape May County Zoo

We've got to give a warm South Jersey welcome to the region's newest and cutest residents.

According to a press release, the Cape May Zoo has recently welcomed two baby cotton-topped tamarin monkeys.

The tamarin twins, genders still undetermined, are the second and third babies for dad monkey Tam Tam and mom Cordelia who gave birth to the twins' big sister, Kida, in August of 2020.

What makes it even cuter is the fact that you can pick out mom, dad, or big sis with the twins, carrying them around when you visit their habitat at the Cape May Zoo.

Get our free mobile app

Did you know that tamarins are the smallest primates? Fully grown, they wind up weighing only about a pound. So, as you can imagine, these pocket-sized primates make for a pretty adorable sight as you make your way through.

Some conservation facts about tamarins: They originate from Central and South America. There are two main factors that threaten their existence. One is all the trees that keep getting chopped down within their habitat (aka deforestation). The other is human activity, according to Dr. Alexander Ernst, the Associate Veterinarian at the Cape May Zoo.

Commissioner E. Marie Hayes extended kudos to the Cape May Zoo for all of their hard work and conservation efforts:

“We always look forward to announcing new species to our Zoo and encourage residents and visitors to explore all we have to offer. We are especially proud of the work of the Zoo Veterinarians and the staff in overseeing the breeding of the Cotton-Topped Tamarins who are included in Species Survival Plan (SSP) a worldwide conservation effort. The work our Zoo staff does as an accredited member of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) has had a great impact on the conservation of animals worldwide. I speak for myself, and the full Board of Commissioners in extending a grateful thank you to the staff at the Parks and Zoo. They work tirelessly to care and protect our animals and have put our Zoo on the world conservation map. We could not be prouder."

The zoo is currently open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The best part? It's free. The zoo does such great work, though, that any donation you can muster goes a long way.