Como Zoo's baby tamarin twins ready to meet visitors

February 5, 2016 at 12:37AM
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(Shari L. Gross/Shari L. Gross)

The Como Zoo has welcomed a couple more cuddly critters to its exhibits.

A pair of baby South American emperor tamarins were born last Wednesday and are now ready to meet visitors. The twins are thought to be a male and a female, but it can take several weeks to verify the gender, zoo officials said.

Guests can see the infants — each about the size of a mini candy bar — cling to the back of their older brother Franklin in the Primate Building at the zoo. The twins will be carried around by relatives for the first six to seven weeks of their lives, with their father assuming most of the caretaking. They are the second and third babies born to parents Lara and Roger.

The public will have the opportunity to help name the young siblings during Como's "Woo At The Zoo" weekend Feb. 13-15.

Emperor tamarins are small primates with long tails, weighing about 1 pound when full grown. They're best known for their long, white, drooping mustaches.

Emperor tamarin father Roger carries his newborn twins on his back at the Como Zoo.
Emperor tamarin father Roger carries his newborn twins on his back at the Como Zoo. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Emperor tamarin father Roger carries his newborn twins on his back at the Como Zoo.
Emperor tamarin father Roger carries his newborn twins on his back at the Como Zoo. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Como Zoo photo: Baby South American Emperor Tamarin twins have been born at the Como Zoo. The twins arrived on Wednesday, January 27 and visitors can now see the new infants as they hang tightly to their brother Franklin in the Primate Building at Como Zoo. This is the 2nd and 3rd babies born to parents Lara and Roger. The gender of the twins is thought to be a male and female, but it can take several weeks to determine their gender with absolute certainty.
Baby South American Emperor Tamarin twins have been born at the Como Zoo. The twins arrived on Jan. 27 and visitors can now see the new infants as they hang tightly to their brother Franklin in the Primate Building at Como Zoo. This is the 2nd and 3rd babies born to parents Lara and Roger. The gender of the twins is thought to be a male and female, but it can take several weeks to determine their gender with absolute certainty. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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about the writer

Liz Sawyer

Reporter

Liz Sawyer  covers Minneapolis crime and policing at the Star Tribune. Since joining the newspaper in 2014, she has reported extensively on Minnesota law enforcement, state prisons and the youth justice system. 

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