Unexpected Surprise in the Forest: "Cotton-Top Tamarins Twins Born in October!"

Cotton-top tamarin females usually give birth to twins once a year, with the peak birth season occurring from April to August. Babies are weaned after about four months when fruit is most abundant in the forest. Occasionally, births happen outside this period, typically due to the loss of a litter or disruptions within the group. When new females join a group and displace the existing breeding female, they often become pregnant within 1-2 months, which seems to strengthen the bond with the breeding male. This change doesn't significantly affect infant survival rates, even when births occur outside the usual season. Recently, the Palmar group has experienced some changes with new individuals joining and others being evicted, giving the field team a challenging task in monitoring these shifts!  However, it doesn’t get much better than being able to watch tiny cotton-top tamarins grow and become independent.  It gives us hope for the future.