ORLANDO, Fla. — In a blink, the population of cotton-top tamarin monkeys at Disney’s Animal Kingdom doubled.
The theme park recently welcomed a set of tiny, critically endangered baby twin monkeys.
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Officials said the babies each weighed as much as a chicken egg and measured 4 inches tall. Even fully grown, adult cotton-top tamarins weigh less than a pound and are about the size of a squirrel.
The pair are clinging tightly to their parents as they explore their new home on Discovery Island. Theme park officials said its too soon to know if the babies are male or female.
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The babies mark the first cotton-top tamarin births at Walt Disney World since 2001.
Theme park officials said tamarins are considered a rare species with less than 7,500 remaining in the wild, and having twins is quite typical for the species.
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Officials said the babies are completely dependent on their families for survival and are carried around on their backs for up to 14 weeks.
See photos of the babies below:
Photos: Twin cotton-top tamarin monkeys born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
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