“The emperor tamarin is a species of tamarin allegedly named for its resemblance to the German emperor Wilhelm II.”

With a graceful white mustache resembling German emperor Wilhelm II, the emperor tamarin belongs to a species of small monkeys and is mostly found in the forests of South America. Its name was first mentioned in jest before it was incorporated in connection with the mammal. It is highly identified by its small body size and long, thin tail, and its grey coloring is accented with bits of red and orange on its back and chest. It shares its genus with at least 11 other species.

4 Incredible Emperor Tamarin Facts

• The emperor tamarin is diurnal, meaning that it is most active during the day and sleeps through the night.
• This creature is known to be an omnivore, with its diet primarily comprised of fruits, tree sap, insects, small reptiles, eggs, and nectar.
• It’s known to exist in groups of 4 to 20. Each group has an elderly female as its leader, and each has its marked territory.
• These animals use hissing sounds as well as chirping calls to communicate.

Emperor Tamarin Scientific Name

An emperor tamarin goes by the scientific name Saguinus Imperator and belongs to the Callitrichidae family. “Saguinus” comes from the Portuguese word “sagui” (which is Tupian for “marmoset”) and the Latin suffix -inus (“of”), while “Imperator” is Latin for the word emperor. It further belongs to the class Mammalia and genus Saguinus – from where it also gets its scientific name.

There are two subspecies of the emperor tamarin, but they reside in different areas. One is the bearded emperor tamarin, which lives in rainforests in Brazil and Peru. The other — the black chinned emperor tamarin — resides in Bolivia.

Emperor Tamarin Appearance

At just 9 to 10 inches tall, the emperor tamarin is a rather small animal that weighs about 1 pound. It is covered in grey fur with a bit of red and yellow on the back and the chest. It has black hands and feet and a long, brown tail. With a pink nose and mouth, what uniquely distinguishes this creature from others is its elegant white mustache, and oftentimes a beard to match.

Emperor Tamarin Behavior

These primates are diurnal, meaning they are most active in the daytime, and relaxing and sleeping through the night. Their small size and lightweight structure allow them to be able to hop from one tree branch to another, making it easier for them to be able to reach food that is usually inaccessible to other animals. Moreover, their sharp claws help strengthen their grip around tree branches, making it easier for them to stay put and in better positions than most other animals.

Emperor tamarins are known to be very sociable creatures and live with the rest of their troops in a marked territory. A troop, or group, can range anywhere between 4 to 20 tamarins. Such groups are usually led by the eldest female members and also have predominantly male members. It has also been observed that these tiny species are very loving and affectionate towards the humans they come in contact with. They maintain a close-knit relationship with all the members of their group and cordially cooperate. They are also known to sleep, feed, collect for, and protect their marked territory together.

Some sources suggest that the emperor tamarins may live in groups of mixed species with other tamarins, mostly the saddleback tamarin. It is said that such coexistence often becomes a mutually beneficial relationship that helps both the species protect themselves and one another from any likely predators.

These tamarins are known to have a dichromatic vision, meaning that their vision only allows them to see in two differentiating colors. This is a part of their adaptation scheme to be able to identify any possible threats and predators even when they are camouflaged in the surroundings.

Emperor Tamarin Habitat

The bearded emperor tamarin is usually found in the rainforests of Brazil and Peru, while the black-chinned emperor tamarin is known to be scattered across the rainforests of Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia. Lowland tropical rainforests, which these species are known to prefer, are often the ideal habitat. They are usually found living in the tree canopies of the river basins. However, lowlands are far from the only habitats that they are found in. Others include forests that are flooded during rainy seasons, rainforests that grow on flatlands, evergreen forests at altitudes below 984 feet, along the edge of remnant forests, and in broadleaf forests.

Meanwhile, it has also been observed that emperor tamarins usually don’t live in high trees and are usually not found above 80 to 90 feet off the ground.

Emperor Tamarin Population

Sources suggest that there are more than 500 emperor tamarins in zoos all around the world. However, it has also been said that their population has been on a steady decline primarily due to humans looking to clear land for residential and/or industrial purposes.

Emperor Tamarin Diet

Emperor tamarins are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plants and animals to survive. Fruits, eggs, nectar, and insects are some of the things that primarily make up their diet and primarily come from the trees they reside in.

The size of these species facilitates them to look for food easily. Since they are so small and light, they can easily hop over tree branches and reach the usually inaccessible food. Surprisingly, the species can travel 30 hectares (0.12 square miles) as they seek out food sources for sustenance.

Emperor Tamarin Predators and Threats

Due to its small size, the emperor tamarin is met with a lot of predators. Wild cats, birds, dogs, snakes, and humans, among others, together make up the predator list for the animal.

Threats to the wellbeing of emperor tamarin come from a vast variety of animals including wild cats, dogs, snakes, and even humans, who have been known to destroy the natural habitat of the species over the years. Its predators, however, find it difficult to prey on the emperor tamarin due to its ability to pass through the thickest jungles very quickly.

To protect themselves from potential threats and predators, these tamarins have a unique dichromatic vision that allows them to see their surroundings in two district colors. It helps them identify the threats and predators even in a state of camouflage.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the conservation status of the emperor tamarin is of least concern. However, reports suggest that their population has been on a steady decline mostly because of deforestation and encroachment by humans looking to clear land for other purposes.

Emperor Tamarin Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

Emperor Tamarins are known to be seasonal breeders and usually bear offspring during rainy months. This may be due to the abundance of food during that season. The family groups involve one breeding female and two breeding males. Tamarins are polyandrous in their mating habits, allowing the female to mate with multiple breeding males within their group.

After conception, the gestation period is known to last for about 140 to 145 days. After this period comes to an end, the female often produces two offspring. However, one or even three offspring are also typical. Other adults in the tamarin group spring to action as soon as the baby is born. The mother is known to feed its child in intervals of two to three hours, lasting for approximately 30 minutes per session. Similarly, the fathers also take responsibility for the child and carry them on their backs and take care of them once they have been fed. It is said that the babies travel on the backs of their fathers for around 6 to 7 weeks. Baby emperor tamarin mature rather quickly, attaining sexual maturity between 16 to 20 months of age. Emperor tamarins go on to live for 10 to 20 years.

Emperor Tamarin in Zoos

The emperor tamarin can be found in several zoos throughout the world, including:

• Como Park Zoo & Conservatory in St. Paul, Minnesota
• Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C.
• ZSL London Zoo in London, England
• Adelaide Zoo in Australia

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