(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZoo) recently welcomed a new baby gorilla, but he isn’t the only adorable tiny primate to make a debut at the zoo. Two bold and bearded sisters arrived in July: a pair of bearded emperor tamarin siblings, 4-year-old Mattessich, and 3-year-old Gianna.
According to CMZoo, the tamarins are difficult to tell apart, and even the keepers who work closely with them can get confused, if not for their microchips that help keep their records straight. But the best clue the zoo can give is that Gianna tends to keep her beard more neatly groomed than her older sister, Mattessich.
“They are really outgoing and interested in guests,” Madi Ort, animal keeper in Primate World, said. “They’ll come right over to the glass with such curious energy, and they always want to see what people are holding in their hands.”
The sisters came to CMZoo from another zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and they will stay at CMZoo until they have breeding recommendations, as part of CMZoo’s support of the Bearded Emperor Tamarin Species Survival Plan.
Mattessich and Gianna are curious, energetic, and playful, according to the zoo. They like to pounce around their exhibit and explore the perching system. They enjoy the enrichment keepers provide, and actively participate in husbandry training with their care team.
“They’re eager to interact with keepers, so we’re quickly building trusting relationships with them through training sessions,” Madi said. “They know how to ‘station’ at a specific location, stand on a scale for regular weight checks, and get into their crates. We’re currently fine-tuning body presentation training, where we ask them to stand up on their hind legs and reach up, so we can visually check their abdomens and limbs.”
Both sisters are confident and comfortable with each other, sharing meals side-by-side and politely taking turns training with keepers, but Gianna will put in a little extra effort to get to a favorite treat, jumping over Mattessich to grab bananas and watermelons. Because of this, Gianna is considered the dominant of the two, but this could change as they continue to settle in.
“It’s hard to put into words how adorable they are,” Madi said. “They have these big ears, pink noses, wide eyes, and precious little hands and feet. They weigh about one pound each, so they’re really small, but normal weight for full-grown emperor tamarins. Plus, they make really cute chirps, almost like birds, when they vocalize. Combined with their beautiful mustaches and markings, they’re just a joy to see.”