Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
One way that the North Florida Wildlife Center fulfills its mission is through participation in breeding programs for vulnerable species in its care. The center has had especially remarkable success with its cotton-topped tamarins and ring-tailed lemurs.
The tamarin family has quickly grown from two to six members. Einstein and Elsa arrived at the center in 2024 as a couple who had previously conceived but only had still births. Not long after they settled in, Elsa had a baby that this time thrived. Fans of the Wildlife Center participated in naming the newborn Echo, and Einstein and Elsa became enthusiastic and caring parents.
It wasn't long before Elsa conceived again, and the family welcomed Eden to the group. This spring, for Elsa's third successful pregnancy, she had triplets! This is highly unusual in the world of tamarins, explains Founder and Executive Director Ryan Reines. Because tamarin moms are equipped to nurse only two babies at once, sadly the weakest of the three – despite heroic efforts by the center's staff to intervene – did not survive. The two remaining babies, however, continue to grow and flourish. Recently, the center again invited the public's participation in naming the twins, and the ones with the most votes were Everest and Emery.
Visitors to the Wildlife Center can see how the newcomers' siblings help out the parents in taking care of the youngest additions to their family, allowing them to ride around on their backs as they hop among branches and run along vines (see the featured photo above).
In the wild, these squirrel-sized primates eat primarily tree sap, which they supplement with scavenged fruit, nectar and insects. Sadly, the very small area of dry tropical forest where cotton-topped tamarins live in northwest Colombia, South America, has been shrinking dramatically due to logging, agricultural activity and urban expansion. In addition to extreme loss of habitat, these monkeys have suffered heavy poaching for both the illegal pet trade and biomedical research. For decades the number of cotton-topped tamarins has plummeted until only a few thousand of these primates still live in the wild.
For this reason, the conservation status of cotton-topped tamarins is listed as critically endangered, and efforts are needed to save the rare species from the brink of extinction. In addition to protecting habitat, policing the pet trade and conducting awareness campaigns, the survival of cotton-topped tamarins depends also on breeding programs carried out at zoological institutions and private sanctuaries, like the North Florida Wildlife Center.
It’s a similar predicament for the ring-tailed lemurs, native to the island of Madagascar. Likewise, the breeding program for this species at the Wildlife Center is offering hope. Felana and Maharo, the leaders of the ring-tailed lemur family at the Wildlife Center, also have a growing family. They were both rescued from the pet trade, one of the reasons that their species is endangered. Wild populations of ring-tailed lemurs occur only on the island of Madagascar. It is reported that their numbers have been cut in half during the last 30 to 40 years. With only around 2,000 individuals surviving in the wild, conservation efforts and breeding programs are critical to mitigate the threat of extinction.
At the Wildlife Center, the ring-tailed lemur family has grown from two to six. All of Felana and Maharo's offspring – Zava, Ony, Asara and a new baby – were born here, and the troupe is quite a sight to see!
To meet these dynamic lemur and tamarin families – as well as the center's many other residents and new arrivals – visit the Wildlife Center at 1386 Cook Rd. Regular hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.. In addition, the center frequently holds special events with reduced admission fees.
The next one is the Totally Tubular Wild Bash on June 6. On this date, on top of all the usual opportunities to see fascinating wildlife and support conservation, there will be a water slide, a bounce house, 80s themed activities, a costume contest, free face painting and vendors. Extra-low pricing of just $7.50 for kids and $10 for adults is available when you purchase tickets for June 6 online at northfloridawildlife.org/event; at the door, prices are still discounted to $10 for kids and $15 for adults.
Proceeds from admission support the animals cared for by the Wildlife Center as well as breeding programs, conservation efforts and habitat restoration around the world.