Salisbury Zoo Gets 2 Endangered Marmosets
SALISBURY, Md. (AP) -- The Salisbury Zoo in Maryland's Eastern Shore just got two new endangered primates.
Two white-fronted marmosets are now on display at the zoo. One is a 7-year-old female from the Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington, Del., and the other is a 3-year-old from the El Paso Zoo. Both are on loan from the Brazilian government.
The 8-inch-long primates are considered endangered.
Zoo officials say they hope the pair breeds to help the species rebound.
In the wild, white-fronted marmosets live in the lowland rainforest of Brazil and typically produce up to three offspring. They live to about 10 years old in the wild and 16 in captivity.
The Salisbury Zoo says the number of white-fronted marmosets is declining because of habitat loss, hunting and capture for the pet trade.
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