Cotton‐top tamarins (Saguinus (o.) oedipus) in a semi‐naturalistic captive colony

Abstract

To test the prediction that the breeding success of captive cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus (0.) oedipus) could be improved by maintaining them in groups whose size and age-sex composition resembled those of wild groups, data were collated from 6.5 years of records from a breeding colony that otherwise had housing and husbandry procedures similar to those of other successful colonies. Group size and composition in the colony closely resembled those of wild groups, and infant survival was the highest yet reported for the species, with 69% of the 124 infants born reared by their parents to adulthood, and a mean surviving litter size of 1.5 infants. Abortion, stillbirth, and parental neglect of infants were rare. Parity had several effects on reproduction: mean litter size decreased, but percentage infant survival increased; interbirth intervals decreased in length; and seasonality in reproduction was more pronounced for the first four litters born to breeding females than for their subsequent litters, with a birth peak in the spring. Although a spacious and complex physical environment, retention of offspring in their natal families until experience of several sets of infant siblings had been obtained, and non-invasive husbandry and research techniques may all have contributed to the colony's success, it seems possible that the improvement over other colonies is due to the resemblance of group composition to those of wild tamarins.

Parturition and perinatal behaviour in captive cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus)

“…In conclusion, cotton-top tamarins in the Stirling colony showed competent parental behaviour from the moment of birth onwards, and this, together with a notable absence of birth complications, has contributed to highly successful breeding of this species (PRICE & MCGREW, 1990). The presence of competent fathers may have been important to successful infant rearing by primiparas, and first-born infants may have more chance of survival.…”

“…Rejection of neonates is rare in this colony (PRICE & MCGREW, 1990). Another primipara, although showing normal perinatal behaviour, had a difficult birth and experienced difficulties in the following weeks : she refused to carry ol feed the infants during the day, and her mate was almost entirely responsible for their care.…”

Birth seasonality in cotton-top tamarins (saguinus oedipus) despite constant food supply and body weight

“…NEYMAN, 1980). Overall details of husbandry and demography were given elsewhere (PRICE & MCGREW, 1990), but specific information relevant to this study is given below. The colony was closed in 1991.…”

“…Notably in the pre-reproductive stage of subadulthood there is no difference in weight between females and males. Adult females are likely to be heavier because they are pregnant most of the time: the median birth interval at Stifling is 206 days (PRICE & MCGREW, 1990) and the mean length of gestation for the species is 184 days (ZIEGLER et al, 1987). At term a set of cotton-top twins weighs about 100 g or about 15-20~ of maternal body weight.…”

True handedness in the cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus)?

“…The subjects lived in a semi-natural captive environment (for details see PRICE & MCGREW, 1990) and the methods of observation were non-invasive. No attempt was made to induce behaviour by introducing factors not encountered by the subjects during their daily activity.…”