New Arrival: Tacama, Bolivian Gray Titi Monkey

You’re not ready—trust us. But if you want to see some adorable tail-twining behavior at Lincoln Park Zoo, now’s the time! Tacama, a female Bolivian gray titi monkey, arrived recently from another Association of Zoos and Aquariums institution and is already hitting it off with 14-year-old resident male Ocho.

Tacama, 14, is here based on a breeding recommendation through the Bolivian Gray Titi Monkey Species Survival Plan®, a collaborative population management effort within AZA zoos. Her care team says she and Ocho are choosing to spend much of their time together. They sit close and twist their long tails together, a sign that they are bonding quickly. It’s a bit like when humans hold hands.

Bolivian gray titi monkeys are small primates with a tail that’s a few inches longer than their body. Unlike with some other monkeys, the tail is not prehensile (able to grasp items). These tiny primates weigh just a couple of pounds on average and live in tropical forests and swamps in the southern part of the Amazon River basin. They are arboreal and rarely climb down to the forest floor.

This species is known for its variety of complex sounds; pairs duet together at dawn or make territorial calls that can be heard a kilometer away. Titi monkeys live in small family groups of two adults and several offspring. Females give birth to one infant each year after a gestation period of 160 days, usually during November and March, and males help out by carrying the young.

Bolivian gray titi monkeys are considered a species of Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which notes that these small primates are adaptable with a wide range. However, like many other South American species, titi monkey populations are under pressure from local agriculture and aquaculture activities, and individuals have been trafficked as part of the illegal pet trade.

Image courtesy of Nola Pickering

To see Ocho and Tacama as they get to know one another better, head over to Helen Brach Primate House and see if you can spot them together! Tacama is lighter in color than Ocho; in the image above, she is on the right.