Two cotton-top tamarin siblings have joined the residents at the Santa Barbara Zoo.
Look and listen.
You’ll see — and hear — Stella and Mini hanging around the Santa Barbara Zoo.
Known for their distinct whistling sound, the two cotton-top tamarin siblings arrived earlier this month from the Central Florida Zoo, where they were both born. They came to Santa Barbara on a recommendation from the Species Survival Plan.
You can visit the cotton-tops in their new home next to the capybaras on Zoo Train Lane.
Stella is female and 6½ years old, and Mini is male and 5 ½ years old. Cotton-top tamarins are one of the smallest species of primates.
They’re found in a small area of northern Colombia where there are only about 6,000 individuals left in the wild.
These small monkeys, which each weigh about 1 pound, play an important role in rainforest ecology by dispersing digested seeds throughout the forest, according to a news release. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists them as critically endangered because of deforestation and illegal pet trade.
They vocalize using a shrill whistling sound that changes depending on what they are communicating to each other.
And “cotton-top” describes them perfectly. They’re named for the shock of white hair on the tops of their heads.
You can see Stella and Mini at the Santa Barbara Zoo, 500 Ninos Drive, which is open daily from 9 a.m. for members and 9:30 a.m. for general admission until 5 p.m. General admission is $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for children 2-12, and free for children under 2. Parking is $11.
For more information, go to www.sbzoo.org.
email: dmason@newspress.com
