2 Golden Lion Tamarins Born At National Zoo

WASHINGTON, DC — The Smithsonian's National Zoo welcomed two endangered golden lion tamarin babies who were born to first-time parents Mo and Izzy on Friday.

The monkeys have been clinging to their mother Izzy’s back since birth, but they will soon transfer to their father, Mo, who will carry them at all times except when they are nursing, a statement from the zoo said.

Veterinarians will perform exams to determine the sex of the two infants when they are older.

Golden lion tamarins are native to South America. They live in groups of two to eight family members and are found in the canopies of Atlantic coastal forests of southeastern Brazil.

About one-third of golden lion tamarins living in the wild are descendants of tamarins raised in human care, including tamarins born at the National Zoo.

There were once as few as 200 golden lion tamarins left in the wild, but the population has now grown to 3,200 through a number of conservation measures and breeding programs, the zoo said.

"In the past, the Zoo prepared tamarins born on-site for reintroduction to the wild by allowing them to free-range throughout the grounds during the summer months," the statement said. "Reintroduction efforts have been successful, and the available habitat for golden lion tamarins now supports as many as it can hold. However, while the wild population is growing, golden lion tamarins continue to face threats including habitat loss and collection for the illegal pet trade."

Golden lion tamarins have high infant mortality rates, with approximately half of infants dying before they reach 1 year old. Keepers will continue to monitor the infants closely to ensure that they are healthy and developing normally.

Visitors can view the entire golden lion tamarin family and the Zoo’s other pair of golden lion tamarins, Diogo and Julie, in the Small Mammal House every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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(Photos via The National Zoo)