Page 129 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

EMPEROR TAMARIN 129

Perching high in the tree canopy, the emperor tamarin troop Emperors are territorial but tolerate the presence of another
enjoys a unrivalled, panoramic view of the surrounding area. group of tamarins – saddlebacks (Saguinus fuscicollis).

Saddlebacks have a different diet to the emperors, so they While emperors scan the air, saddlebacks watch the ground. If
present no real threat.They also help to keep a lookout predators are spotted, both troops call out warnings – and
for danger. everybody runs!

and their young.Working together, this group stakes out as the year progresses, they adapt their diet to take
a piece of prime real estate and diligently defends it from advantage of whatever is plentiful. Leaves, flowers, nectar,
intruders.Traditionally tamarin territories are large, insects and insect larvae are all actively eaten as well as
covering about 30–40 hectares (74.1–98.8 acres) and, the occasional small lizard, frog or bird’s egg that may
over the course of a day, the troop will wander across come their way.
one-third of it.Within each territory is everything that Emperors are diurnal, so most food-gathering takes place
they need to survive and thrive. during the day. Like most primates, they have excellent
Although logging has disrupted their traditional binocular vision, which helps them to judge distances
homelands and reduced their numbers dramatically, accurately and so hunt more efficiently.Tamarins are also
tamarin populations can still be found in the south-west very small, which may seem like a disadvantage in a land
of the Amazon Basin, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and where big bad predators abound, but being light has its
two states of western Brazil. Here they occupy several plus points too. It allows them to creep to the very tips of
levels of the forest, from the towering tree tops to the tree branches, where the newly grown, succulent leaves
lower crowns of young trees. Fruit is their main food but, and buds can be found.

(c) 2011 Marshall Cavendish. All Rights Reserved.