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

Nursery 3 weeks of age • Private Room • Incubator and heat lamps • Staff wore smocks, masks, gloves • Natural hand-rearing Diet • Primilac Liquid Infant Primate Diet from BioServ • Warm Tap Water • Warm Pedialyte • Eventually, solid food pieces

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