Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes 2 emperor tamarins

Lincoln Park Zoo welcomed two new primate residents, emperor tamarins Sal and Feta.

The monkeys have settled into their habitat at the Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House, the zoo said.

Mustachioed monkeys

What to know:

Emperor tamarins have striking white mustaches that curl under their chins and long golden-red tails that can reach up to 16 inches long.

Sal is an 8-year-old male and Feta is a 4-year-old female.

Lincoln Park Zoo welcomed two new primate residents, emperor tamarins Sal and Feta. The monkeys have settled into their habitat at the Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House, the zoo said.

Sal arrived from the Chattanooga Zoo in Tennessee and Feta came from the Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Why you should care:

The zoo hopes the two will reproduce once they’re fully acquainted with each other and grow the emperor tamarin population. 

While they’re listed as a species of "least concern," meaning they don’t face a threat of endangerment or extinction, they do face pressure from deforestation and human agriculture activities in the Amazon Basin.

The monkeys have settled into their habitat at the Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House, the zoo said.

Emperor tamarins like Sal and Feta have also been known to be trafficked as pets.

What they're saying:

Lincoln Park Zoo Curator Dan Boehm said the hope is for this effort to help the emperor tamarin population into the future.

"It’s always particularly exciting to welcome a new species to the zoo. We are hopeful future offspring will support the next generation of a species which is such a rewarding opportunity. In the meantime, we’re looking forward to caring for and learning more about Feta and Sal while we get to know their distinct personalities."

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