A British zoo has welcomed three baby primates, including critically endangered twin monkeys.
Zookeepers at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire celebrate the birth of a copper-colored titi monkey and two cotton-topped tamarin monkeys.
The arrival of the primates is part of the 40-hectare zoo’s efforts to save the animals from extinction.
In the adorable photos you can see how the babies cling tightly to their parents.
One photo shows a copper titi monkey snuggling into its mother’s thick fur as it sleeps.
The monkey’s mother, Sirena, was also born at Twycross Zoo in 2010, making the birth ‘exceptionally special’.
In another photo, the cotton tamarin holds on to a tree branch while the twins take a piggyback ride.
Commenting on the animal’s birth, Matt Ford, the zoo’s primate curator, said: ‘We are thrilled with the birth of our two cotton tamarins, and it marks another milestone in our conservation mission.
The cotton tamarind twins pictured clinging to the back of their parents as they balance on a tree branch at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire
The copper-colored Titi monkey on his mother Sirena
The monkey pictured snuggles into his mother’s thick fur as he gets some much-needed rest
It is hoped that the zoo births will help save the animals from extinction
‘The species is critically endangered and there are believed to be only 2,000 left in the wild.
‘These numbers continue to decline as their native habitat is severely damaged by human activity, making this ex-situ conservation crucial to save the species from extinction.’
Cotton tamarins, one of the most endangered primates in the world, usually give birth to twins.
The father then takes on the role of caregiver and cares for them full-time, in addition to allowing them to nurse from their mother.
Like the cotton tamarins, the coppery titi monkey fathers carry their offspring for the first six months of their lives.
Unlike their fellow primates, the coppery titi is not considered an endangered species, although it is threatened by poachers in their native Peru and Brazil.
