With its long white mustache, the emperor tamarin looks like a wise old man, and that's not so far fetched. This clever monkey finds food high and low in the Amazon rainforest, picking fruit and flowers from treetops and stalking insects and reptiles near the forest floor. The emperor tamarin keeps its family close, but doesn't tolerate other emperors hanging around. In fact, this primate will let other monkey species roam freely through its territory, but chase out other emperor tamarins.
See It, Swing It: This monkey makes its life in the trees, from the bottom all the way to the forest canopy (top). Sharp eyes help it see as it's jumping from branch to branch, and an extra-long tail keeps it balanced.
Mr. & Ms. Mustache: Both male and female emperor tamarins have long white fur around their mouths that look like huge mustaches. The primates use them to attract mates, and to identify others of their species in the forest.
Balanced Diet[]
The tamarin stays alert for predators.
The emperor tamarin eats a wide variety of food in the forest. Its nimble hands pluck fruit from branches, and it uses its small but sharp canine teeth to rip bark from tree trunks and uncover sweet sap. This primate has a taste for meat once in a while, turning over leaves to reveal small insects underneath or reaching into crevices to feel for some grubs. When an emperor tamarin is sneaking along a branch with surprising stealth, it's probably hunting a beetle, spider or even a lizard, which it can snap up and kill in a single bite.
All Together Now: Emperor tamarins live in groups of up to eight, consisting of a dominant male, a dominant female, their babies and a few juveniles. These family groups eat together; they also scream out from time to time to mark their territory.
No Trespassing: Emperor tamarins don't like it when other emperors enter their home habitat. A resident group will leap aggressively toward intruders to chase them away. They often let other tamarin species in without a problem.
Party Crashers[]
- A small group of emperor tamarins climbs to the top of the forest canopy to find ripe fruit and insects. Their long tails dangle and help keep them balanced.
- Two saddle-backed tamarins wander nearby. The newcomers don't eat the same food, so the emperor tamarins don't try to push them out of the area.
- Their attitude changes when another group of tamarins shows up. They rise and scream loudly at the intruders to scare them away.
Trivia[]
- The card's front illustration is also used in the Wildlife Explorer series, for the Emperor Tamarin's profile. The main difference, besides the images being flipped between the cards, is the Emperor Tamarin's mouth is not open on the Wildlife Explorer card.
- The upper right image on the back, and the "Party Crashers" illustrations are also shared between the cards; in the latter, titled "Dinner Guests", there is a fourth panel of the tamarin returning to eating after the other emperors are scared off.