Racine Zoo Observes 'Bittersweet Birth'

RACINE, WI — The Racine Zoo welcomed the birth of a new Emperor tamarin this January, and affectionately named Bella after her birth mother Isabella.

The Zoo's announcement is bittersweet, however, because five days after giving birth, Bella’s mother Isabella passed away unexpectedly.

After a necropsy, another word for an animal autopsy, results revealed she passed away from a
cardiac condition. The loss of Isabella was a major blow to Racine Zoo keepers who have cared for her through six successful pregnancies. Isabella was also the first emperor tamarin to work with her keepers for voluntary ultrasounds, teaching keepers and scientists valuable information about tamarin gestation.

Isabella was a cherished member of the Zoo family, the Zoo said in a statement. After her loss, Bella's condition was critical. Although tamarin families usually work together to take care of infants, in this case, the zookeepers intervened to ensure Bella’s survival. Keepers were determined to give her the best chance, immediately putting their lives on hold to work 24/7 to give her the best care possible.

Bella has been reintroduced back to her family and is now living with them 24 hours a day while
still receiving regular feedings from the keepers including the tamarin formula mix, baby cereal
and she has also begun eating solid foods with the rest of the family as well.

She weighed about 57 grams at five days old, and now at 48 days old, she recently weighed in at 150 grams, a testament to the experience, hard work, and dedication of keeper staff who raised her. Zoo staff collaborated with other zoos that have been in similar situations, and have already been called on as a resource for others.

At the Racine Zoo, emperor tamarins Isabella and Marquis were paired in 2012 and were one of the only successful reproductive pairs in the country, producing eight offspring through six pregnancies, including two sets of twins, at the Racine Zoo.