Cotton-Top Tamarins - Disney Animals

Marvel at the amazing athletic abilities of the tiny-but-mighty cotton-top tamarin! Weighing just one pound (0.5 kilogram), this pint-sized primate can leap 15 feet (4.6 meters) from a stationary branch.

In the wild, cotton-top tamarins are found only in the tropical forests of northwestern Colombia in South America, where they live high in the treetops.

Delight in the antics of the tiny cotton-top tamarin on Discovery Island at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.

Here’s an inside look at the life of a cotton-top tamarin at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park:

• Animal Enrichment: Coconut feeders and puzzle feeders containing special treats—like carrots, pear, strawberry and kiwi—are hung in various locations to encourage physical activity, problem-solving, foraging and other natural behaviors.
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• Training: Disney animal care experts use positive training techniques to teach tamarins to stand still in a specific location. Using a target tool, the animal care experts get the tiny monkeys to step voluntarily on scales to be weighed. Cotton-tops also learn to enter and exit their carriers on cue so it’s easy to transport the animals to other areas of the park—for medical treatment or to new habitats.
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• Veterinary Care: The small size of cotton-top tamarins can make many medical procedures challenging. The park’s skilled veterinarians often use medical equipment designed for premature human babies.