Do you know that out of the two hundred and sixty monkey types, there are only two that have claws instead of nails, and that give birth to twins? One of these is the emperor tamarin. These adorable monkeys have always been intriguing to me. Their habitat, diet, and unique physical features, are what make them so distinct.
New world monkeys, who live in the tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America, includes emperor tamarin monkeys. These specific monkeys live in the dangerous northwest side of the Amazon River. One fascinating fact about the Amazon River is that in ancient times the river flowed backward, east to west, and now it flows west to east. During the day, these adventurous monkeys leap from branches and vines high up in the canopy layer of the jungle. A tamarin troop, which typically has about nine members, make their homes in cozy tree holes where jungle sounds lull them to sleep.
Morning is the busiest time for tamarins. First, they wake up, drink some water and get right to work. Tamarins are omnivores. “Omni” in latin means “all or everything" and “vorer” means “to devour". So tamarins eat both plants and animals. The family divides jobs such as hunting for lizard, frogs, and crickets. While others gather fruit, sap, and nectar. The tamarins, who are very good sharers, provide food with the entire family. Like humans, a tamarin baby drinks milk from their mother, which is a trait of mammals. This is part of a typical day in the life of a tamarin.
Emperor tamarins have many remarkable features, which makes them stand out from other monkeys. For example they are only one of the two types of monkeys that have claws, not nails. This is especially good because it makes climbing and gripping on to trees easy. While most male and female monkeys differ in color or size, tamarin males and females look extremely similar. Monkeys also typically have one baby at a time, but tamarins don’t. Notably, tamarins give birth to one or two litters of twins a year. However, the absolute best feature on the emperor tamarins is their mustaches and mohawks. This makes them look hilarious and laughable. These are some of the unique features tamarins posses that make them so special.
These vivacious monkeys are in danger! Their habitat is becoming bleaker and bleaker. Millions of colossal trees, which make perfect homes, are disappearing faster then you can say “emperor tamarins are cute”. Learning about their habitat, diet and remarkable features is an important step in working towards protecting these creatures that God so wonderfully created.
Bibliography
Braun, Eric & Donovan, Sandra. Tamarins. New York: Steck-Vaughn Company, 2002.
Dunn, Mary. Tamarin Monkeys. Minnesota: Capstone Press, 2013
Zabludoff, Mark. AnimalWays Monkeys. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2008
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