Emperor Tamarin

Emperor tamarins are small New World monkeys identified by a distinctive white mustache thought to resemble that of Emperor Wilhelm III of Germany. These arboreal primates weigh about one pound, have speckled brown hair and a long orange tail, and spend their entire lives in the trees, using specialized claws to grip branches, trees, and vines as they move through the canopy. They form mixed troops and are often found traveling with other species of tamarins in their home range. They live in the treetops of tropical lowland forests across the Amazon in Brazil and Peru, with a range extending through southwestern Brazil, western Peru, and northwestern Bolivia, and they eat insects, fruit, nectar, frogs, lizards, and bird eggs. Classified as Least Concern, they nonetheless face a growing threat from habitat loss. In the wild they live ten to thirteen years, and up to twenty years in captivity. Emperor tamarins are about nine inches in height and have a polyandrous mating system in which a dominant female mates with several males of her choosing; after about a six month gestation, twins are typical, several family members usually help care for the young, and the father carries the offspring after birth except when they are feeding with their mother.

Cape May Court House, New Jersey · United States