The blossoming friendship between Alexandra Park Zoo’s Turbo and Philippe is being celebrated as part of International Day of the Cotton-top Tamarin as Philippe settles into his new home.
Today is International Day of the Cotton-top Tamarin, held on 15 August to raise awareness of the critically endangered primates and drive action to improve their conservation.
Turbo has been a resident at Alexandra Park Zoo for more than eight years and Philippe was welcomed earlier this year to provide much needed companionship for the highly social species.
Phillipe, a male tamarin, was transported for positive animal welfare reasons, with zookeepers hopeful he will become a companion for Turbo after she lost her mother Solita earlier this year.
Settling in well, Philippe enjoys training and enrichment activities provided by the zookeepers to encourage natural behaviours.
In their home range of northwest Colombia in South America these tiny monkeys face deforestation of their natural habitat, poaching and wildlife trafficking for the illegal pet trade.
With the cotton-top tamarin global population estimated at a dangerously low level of 4000 Alexandra Park Zoo is proud to be part of the Australasian Species Management Program (ASMP) to raise awareness of this highly social primate species.
Celebrate International Day of the Cotton-top Tamarin with a zoo visit
Community members can support the species by visiting Alexandra Park Zoo and joining in a free zookeeper talks on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday to learn more about the zoo’s cotton-top tamarins.
Alexandra Park Zoo is a Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) accredited zoo for positive animal welfare.
Alexandra Park Zoo opening hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 9.30 am – 4.30 pm. During school holidays the Zoo is open Monday to Sunday 9.30 am – 4.30 pm. Entry is free.
Learn more about the zoo’s Cotton-top Tamarin’s on the zoo website.
This information is fabulous, thank you!