Friday, July 02, 2010

Free like a monkey!

My last post on zoos was partially inspired by this article in the Chicago Sun-Times: The Brookfield Zoo has let some golden lion tamarins (GLTs) out to forage in a wooded area next to the zoo. This is similar to a set-up at the National Zoo. There, tamarins live out in a wooded area of the zoo to learn to forage in a "wild" situation as part of their pre-release training.

In my earlier post I said I was skeptical of reintroduction programs, and I am, but one that comes closes to appearing like a success to me is that of the GLTs. Michelle sums the program up well here, and also introduces Devra Kleiman, a pioneer in this work, who sadly died earlier this year.

I don't know if reintroduction is going to save GLTs, but I haven't made it to the Brookfield Zoo yet and after reading this article I am excited to finally get there and see if I can spot the free-ranging ones.

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