Tierpark Chemnitz: New offspring among the pygmy marmosets - an endangered primate species
On 3 September, two new babies were born to the common marmosets at Chemnitz Zoo. They already had two offspring at the beginning of January. Twin births are not a rarity here, but the rule.
The young animals are born weighing around 15 grams, while adult pygmy marmosets weigh around 100 grams. This makes them the smallest representatives of the true monkeys. Within the order of primates, they are only surpassed by the mouse lemurs, which, however, are categorised as prosimians.
Pygmy marmosets are very social animals that can live together in groups of more than ten animals. They are led by a female, who often even tolerates two adult males at her side. The remaining members are usually young animals from previous years. The dominant female is the only one who reproduces. The other members of reproductive age are either actively prevented from mating or are kept infertile by scents (so-called pheromones).
After birth, the offspring immediately cling to their parents' fur and can be carried safely through the branches. Family groups inhabit fixed areas in the lower and middle tree layers of the tropical rainforest of South America. The mother and father, and often other family members, take turns caring for the young.
This is also the case at Chemnitz Zoo. Mother Bonnie also gives the two young animals to father Fernando and the two older siblings, who also live in the group here.
Bonnie has already given birth several times and is an experienced mother; for Fernando, this is his second offspring. He has only been living in Chemnitz for just over a year.
The natural population of pygmy marmosets is declining significantly as a result of habitat loss and hunting. Since 2020, they have therefore been classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - the middle of three endangerment categories.
This makes the successful and coordinated breeding of such endangered species all the more important. This species has been successfully kept and bred at Chemnitz Zoo for many years.
With their small size, pygmy marmosets are a very attractive species that are ideally suited as ambassadors for nature and species conservation projects in their homeland - the tropical rainforest of South America. Educating the public is also one of the important tasks of zoological institutions.
Opening hours in September:
Zoo: 9 am to 7 pm, last admission 6 pm
Game enclosure: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., last admission 5 p.m.