Tamarins and marmosets are small, highly social callitrichid primates whose zoo welfare depends on appropriate family group management and complex environmental enrichment.
Callitrichid welfare in zoo settings is generally achievable when appropriate family group structures, three-dimensional environmental complexity, and exudate foraging enrichment are provided. The cooperative breeding system of tamarins and marmosets means that group welfare is intertwined — removing individuals disrupts the cooperative care that benefits all group members. Golden lion tamarin conservation success through coordinated zoo programs demonstrates that callitrichid welfare and conservation can be mutually reinforcing. The broader biomedical research use of marmosets raises welfare concerns that extend well beyond zoo contexts, as laboratory conditions rarely provide the social and environmental complexity these animals require.