DES MOINES, Iowa — Congratulations are in order for two critters at Blank Park Zoo: Cotton-top tamarins Kida and Eddie recently welcomed a set of twins.
The baby tamarins were born on Feb. 22. The lucky parents are sharing the responsibility of raising the newborns, and the twins frequently enjoy riding on both Kida and Eddie's backs.
“The parents have done such a great job through this process, we will not step-in to do a neonate exam until a couple more weeks pass,” said Jay Tetzloff, chief animal officer, in a statement. “This means we don’t yet know some of their specific characteristics, so we have yet to name the pair.”
Blank Park Zoo partners with Proyecto Titi, an organization working to protect wild tamarins in Colombia.
The baby tamarins are now available to visit in the Myron and Jackie Blank Discovery Center.
Blank Park Zoo also welcomed some other new animals, just in time for spring break. Two new six-year-old male Japanese macaques, Ricky and Kai, were recently transferred to Des Moines from the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls.
In addition, two blue-crowned hanging parrots, Tiara and Beamie, can now be seen in the Discovery Center.