Ten days. That’s how long a female marmoset isn’t pregnant.
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The two matriarchs of the common marmoset families at Tasmania Zoo are already expecting again.
Both females gave birth within a day of each other four months ago.
According to head zookeeper Emma Morgan the two matriarchs are already about four months pregnant.
“They get pregnant usually within 10 days of giving birth, so they give birth every six months,” she said.
The two sets of twins are currently unnamed and their sex is unknown.
“We don’t know if they are boys or girls … we don’t want to restrain or stress them out or anything like that. It’s not important to know the sexes.
“The dominant mum suppresses all other females from cycling, so it prevents inbreeding and the boys won’t breed with her either.”
The world’s smallest monkey, which is native to Brazil, is at risk of becoming endangered.
An illegal pet trade and habitat destruction have a devastating impact on the marmoset population.
Ms Morgan said throughout the world the marmoset is often bought as a pet.
However, they are social species and need to be kept in a family group.
At Tasmania Zoo, they are a popular exhibit due to the monkeys being hyperactive and a little crazy.
“We offer marmoset encounters to the public,” Ms Morgan said.
“It’s very popular because they’re crazy … there are no boundaries with them. They love everybody.”
The enclosure smells like musk, thanks to the marmosets leaving a scent on everything, including people.
A common marmoset is one of the smallest monkeys in the world.
Ms Morgan said some people believe this to be a lemur, however they are not a true monkey.
The pygmy marmoset is the smallest, which can also be found at Tasmania Zoo.
Tasmania Zoo is a member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association and is involved in many species management programs.
The public has the chance to get up close and personal with the new families.
Visit the Tasmania Zoo Facebook page to suggest four names for the twins.
They should be non-gender specific names because the twins’ sex is unknown.
Winners will receive their own close encounter with the marmosets.
