Chattanooga Zoo Welcomes Tiny Mustached Monkeys and Invites Public to Name Them
Photo Courtesy of the Chattanooga Zoo
In The Know with Gino…
The Chattanooga Zoo has introduced a new pair of tiny, mustached primates to its family, sparking excitement among visitors and staff alike.
The two emperor tamarins, a small species native to South American rainforests, were born on October 25, 2025, to mother Dolly and father Parmigiano.
Dolly, nearly 10 years old, originally hails from Wisconsin but has called Chattanooga home since 2017. Her mate, Parmigiano, a 4-year-old male, joined the zoo from Massachusetts in 2024. While the sex of the twin tamarins has not yet been determined, it will be confirmed during an upcoming veterinary check.
Zoo officials expressed enthusiasm about the new arrivals, emphasizing how such births inspire their team and delight guests. The addition of the twins has brought joy to the zoo’s Corcovado Jungle exhibit, where they are already exploring their environment more independently.
Photo Courtesy of Chattanooga Zoo
However, the birth was not without tragedy. Dolly also delivered a third infant, but sadly, it did not survive. Recognizing that a tamarin can only nurse two offspring at a time, the zoo’s animal care team intervened to provide supplemental feeding, hydration, and warmth to the third baby. Despite these efforts, the infant’s survival was not possible, a common occurrence with triplet births in tamarins.
Nonetheless, Dolly and Parmigiano are now caring for their healthy twins, who are quickly growing and exploring their surroundings. The young tamarins will spend their first few months clinging to their parents’ backs, but they have already started venturing out on their own.
In their natural habitat, emperor tamarins are highly social, living in tree-dwelling groups that include several family members. They thrive on a diet of fruit, insects, and leaves within the lush rainforests of Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil.
To involve the community in celebrating the new arrivals, Chattanooga Zoo is hosting a naming contest. The public is invited to vote on three pairs of names…
1. Basil and Sage
2. Gouda and Havarti
3. Monty and Addie (short for Montezuma and Atahualpa, two historic South American emperors).
Voting requires a donation of at least $3, which can be made online or in person at the tamarin enclosure. The name pair that raises the most funds will be announced on the zoo’s social media pages at the end of January.
Visitors can see the adorable emperor tamarin family now in their exhibit, where they continue to charm and entertain. For more information and to purchase tickets, interested parties can visit chattzoo.org.
