Wildlife Wednesday: Baby Marmoset Born at Rafiki’s Planet Watch!

[Disney4me]

There’s a new, high-pitched call coming from Rafiki’s Planet Watch at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and it’s creating excitement among our cast members and guests. You’ll be surprised to learn this loud call is coming from a tiny animal, weighing only a few ounces!

Please help us welcome a new Geoffrey’s marmoset baby! Two 3-year-old marmosets are the proud parents, and we are happy to tell you that they are demonstrating great parenting skills. You can often see the baby riding mom or dad’s back.

Because the parents are keeping a close eye on the baby, we have been unable to identify whether the baby is a male or female. We are very comfortable with the level of parental care and are monitoring closely as we await the baby’s first neonatal check-up in a few weeks.

These marmosets are part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP), program coordinated through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The SSP is meant to strengthen long-term species-survival efforts by helping AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums manage species’ genetic diversity through detailed records of individual animals.

In the wild, marmosets face threats of habitat infringement and being hunted for the pet trade. Although they are cute and very small – adults weighing 6-12 ounces – they have social needs that are difficult, if not impossible, to meet in a human family setting, and should not be considered when choosing a domestic pet.

Marmosets are closely related to cotton-top tamarins, which you’ve probably read about in our Wildlife Wednesday series. Both monkeys have claws that help them gouge tree trunks and branches for tree sap, one of their favorite foods.

Learn more about some of the other animals you can visit at Walt Disney World Resort at DisneyAnimals.com.

Wildlife Wednesday: Baby Marmoset Born at Rafiki’s Planet Watch! by Dr. Mark Penning: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog

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