Natural History Emperor Tamarin Saguinus imperator Live: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

A success story of Emperor Tamarin twins raised both by humans and their family By: Michelle Jordan and Jessica Grote Primate Keepers, Denver Zoo

Natural History

Emperor Tamarin Saguinus imperator

 Live: Neo-tropical Primates, South America  Habitat: tropical rainforest canopy  Diet: fruit, insects, small invertebrates,

and plant matter

 Behavior: social, live in groups of 2-8

diurnal, territorial

Denver Zoo Emperor Tamarins

Denver Zoo houses 1 male and 3 females

Birth of the twins

 Female Yana had several false pregnancies prior to July

2009

 In July 2009, gave birth to twins Lara and Lucy  Both mom and brother caring for twins successfully  Brother was caring the twins more often  Yana died unexpectedly

three weeks after their birth

 Decision for Denver Zoo

Veterinary and Keeper staff to hand-raise infants for some time

Emerald Forest Exhibit

Diet

• Primilac Liquid Infant

Primate Diet from BioServ

• Warm Tap Water
• Warm Pedialyte
• Eventually, solid food

pieces

Nursery

3 weeks of age

• Private Room
• Incubator and heat lamps
• Staff wore smocks, masks,

gloves

• Natural hand-rearing

Lara and Lucy’s Schedule

age 3 weeks (July 2009-August 2009) two staff per feeding



1:30 am



Weigh, measure temp and humidity of incubator, formula feeding, piddling, fuzzy time 

4:30 am



Weigh, measure temp and humidity of incubator, formula feeding, piddling, fuzzy time 

7:30 am



Weigh, measure temp and humidity of incubator, formula feeding, piddling, fuzzy time 

10:30 am



Weigh, measure temp and humidity of incubator, formula feeding, piddling, fuzzy time, sun 

1:30 pm



Weigh, measure temp and humidity of incubator, formula feeding, piddling, fuzzy time, sun 

4:30 pm



Weigh, measure temp and humidity of incubator, formula feeding, piddling, fuzzy time, sun



7:30 pm



Weigh, measure temp and humidity of incubator, formula feeding, piddling, fuzzy time



10:30 pm



Weigh, measure temp and humidity of incubator, formula feeding, piddling, fuzzy time

Rodeo Bouncy

Motion after eating, prevents gut stasis.

Emerald Forest Incubator Visits

age 4 weeks (August 2009)

 Feedings reduced from eight times a day to six times a

day

 Infants strong, healthy and becoming more active  Emerald Forest incubator from 8:00am-4:00pm  Incubator located directly outside the cage where

brother Paddy was living

 Resumed feeding schedule and infant care at Emerald

Forest

 Paddy could see, hear, smell, and vocalize to them

Emerald Forest Overhead Ramp

Age 5 weeks to 7 weeks (August-September 2009)

 Initially had half the ramp, then full ramp access  Age 5 weeks still visiting during the day and returned to

nursery at 4:00pm

 They lived in a small mesh cage in a quarantine room instead of in

the incubator  Age 6 weeks, the overnight feedings were dropped and they

could live in the ramp full time

 Perching  Baby toys  Blankets, fleeces, stuffed fuzzy  Ultraviolet bulb and heat lamp  Solid food pieces

Emerald Forest holding cage

Age 7 weeks-8 weeks (August 2009-September 2009)

 Overhead ramp and connected cage

 Initially set on fully bedded cage floor that had toys,

blankets, perching, and rope

Emerald Forest Holding Cage

• Feeding was done initially inside the cage, but

soon fed through the mesh

• Small shelf attached to front inside of cage
• Increased weight and independence

Re-Introduced to brother Paddy

 September: 2 months of age

 Opened shift doors between Paddy’s holding cage and the

ramp/cage where the girls were living

 They followed Paddy everywhere  Continued weighing and syringe feeding on shelf  Dropped syringe nipple and fed with syringes

 October: 3 months of age

 Introduced to more adult diet, enrichment and protein  Shift from cage to cage in back holding

 November: 4 months of age

 Introduced to more adult diet, enrichment and protein  Age 4 months dropped off of formula  Target and crate training

On Display

age 7 months (February 2010)

 Going out on exhibit

 Transfer through overhead ramp into two small holding

cages just behind exhibit

 Once comfortable there, transferred onto exhibit

 Reside with one male elephant shrew  Received birth control in June 2010 and first of the

month every month after

Acknowledgements

 Denver Zoo Primate Department  Denver Zoo Management: Primate Area Supervisor,

Primate Area Curator, Curator of Behavioral Husbandry

 Denver Zoo Veterinary Staff  Photographs: Denver Zoo Staff Dave Parsons, Jessica

Grote, Cindy Bickel