Do cotton-top tamarins live in groups?
Yes, cotton-top tamarins live in groups that have anywhere from two to twelve members. Most of the cotton-top tamarins in these groups are related to each other. For every group, there is only one male and female pair that has babies. The females usually give birth to twins once a year. In cotton-top tamarin groups, everyone takes care of the baby monkeys. Fathers, brothers, and sisters carry infants on their backs. This is great training for younger members to learn how to care for infants. When cotton-top tamarins want to talk to each other they make a sound called a chirp, a short, sharp noise that sounds a lot like a bird. Family members talk to each other for the same reasons we do: to let other family members know where they are, to warn each other of danger, to talk to their friends, and to let the rest of their group know its time to eat.
