Schönbrunn has had a rather regal new addition to its zoo. The Emperor Tamarin monkeys, so named for their resemblance to German emperor Wilhelm II, have a very distinctive white moustache and have now taken up residence in Europe’s oldest zoo, in Austria.
“The two monkeys, who can currently be seen in the South American house, will be the first residents in the historical monkey house when it reopens after its renovations at the end of April,” explained Zoo Director Dagmar Schratter. The male has arrived from Plock Zoo in Poland and the female from Odense Zoo in Denmark.
The long wispy moustache of this particular species of monkey points down unlike that of Emperor Wilhelm whose went up. The monkey was first discovered in 1907 but was sadly found dead. Museum taxidermists put the species on show but displayed it with its moustache pointing up like that of the Emperor. Despite this mistake having been changed, the name has stuck.
The Emperor Tamarin monkey is normally found in the tropical rainforest in South America. “On their menu is fruit, tree sap and insects but also birds’ eggs and small vertebrates such as lizards and frogs. Their long tail helps keep them balanced as they make their huge leaps through the trees,” said Schratter.
The monkeys are also identifiable by their loud and high scream which they use to warn one another of danger. Their biggest enemies in the wild are normally big cats, raptors and snakes. Their biggest threat however is to their habitat. The zoo at Schönbrunn is now participating in the European Endangered Species Programme.
