Factors influencing the survival of wild cotton‐top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) infants

Studies of cooperative breeding species have suggested that helpers are needed for infant survival and that helpers gain skills to successfully raise their own offspring. Studies of callitrichids in managed care and early field studies suggested that group size correlated with infant survival and that helpers needed to learn parental skills to be successful breeders. We present infant survival data from a 20‐year field study of cotton‐top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) in Colombia involving 126 litters born to 41 females. There was no difference in the survival of male and female offspring to 6 months of age. However, litter size impacted survival, with triplet litters having lower survival and male triplets having lower survival than females. Loss of infants was highest in the first week of life and, of the animals remaining in the group at 6 months of age, 90% of them survived to 1 year. The mean length of time in the natal group was 2.3 years but some young migrated to other groups after 4 months of age. Group size and number of male helpers (>1 year) was not related to infant survival. However, groups with only one male had fewer surviving infants. Primiparous females had lower infant survival, but previous infant care experience by mothers as helpers had no effect on survival. A major cause of infant loss was group disruption due to deaths/evictions/loss of the reproductively active animals, or immigration of pregnant females. Thus, factors that cause a change in the stability of the reproductively active animals can disrupt group cohesion. Capture of individuals for the illegal pet trade, as well as habitat fragmentation, may increase competition between groups for access to territories and breeding opportunities. This may have long‐term impacts to infant survival in this critically endangered species. Group instability after loss of breeding female leads to infant mortality. Research Highlights Cotton‐top tamarin survival is greatest in stable groups where the reproductively active adults remain until infants have matured. Infant mortality is highest when a resident breeder is evicted, died, or disappears from the group. First time mothers have low success, but prior infant caretaking experience is not important if other group members have assisted with rearing young. Although the number of helpers in the group does not influence survival, group composition is important. Infant survival is best when two or more males are available. Conservation efforts