The species was named after the German emperor Wilhelm II. In 1907 - when the Emperor tamarin was discovered - only killed specimens were known, and preparators formed the long, pendulous moustache upwards, as they assumed that the tip of the moustache sticks up just like the moustache of the German emperor. The mistake was only discovered a few years later when they also saw living specimens. However, the name Emperor „moustached” tamarin stuck to the species.
Emperor tamarins (Saguinus imperator) are small-bodied animals, they are only 25 cms long. They live in groups in the forests of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia, and they mostly move through higher trees. Due to their small size they are capable of climbing out to thinner branches, too.
They predominently feed on fruits, tree saps and nectar; they serve their protein demand with consuming insects.
The Emperor tamarins - which arrived from England - belong to the family of Callitrichidae. The members of this family are sometimes referred to as "clawed New World monkeys", they received this name as they have claw-like nails on all digits, except for the big toe of their hindlegs. These are needed since due to their tiny size marmosets and tamarins are not able to grasp branches with their toes, thus they cling to the bark of trees with their sharp nails.
Visitors can already have a look at the three moustached ladies in the Tropical House of our zoo. With the arrival of these specimens there are already four callitrichid species in Sóstó Zoo, apart from the Emperor tamarins there are white-fronted marmoset, cotton-top tamarin and white-lipped tamarin groups living in the zoo.
