Chapter 1: The Field Trip We have twenty minutes until we have to be back at the bus, Lisa said, shielding the sun from her eyes with the back of one hand as she glanced up from the zoo map. Is there anything else you want to see? Her best friend, Carla, yawned and sat down on a bench, leaning her head back against the metal fence behind it. She shook her head. It had been a long day at the zoo, and they d already seen so much. They d walked through the tropical aviary and watched a zookeeper feed the lions. They d waited in line for nearly forty minutes just to see the pandas, and that was after the hour-long talk on biodiversity that had started off the field trip. Why don t we just wait here? Carla asked. Ok, Lisa said, half-heartedly. Part of her would have loved to walk around some more, but she was tired, too, and she had promised Carla that they would stick together on the field trip. It was then, as she watched Carla tip her head back against the metal bars, that Lisa saw the monkey. He was perched on a branch just above Carla s head, behind the bars a cage that Lisa now saw was marked Emperor Tamarin. If it weren t for the long white whiskers sprouting from either side of the monkey s little nose, Lisa would never have noticed him. Carla, look! Lisa shouted. Behind you! Carla quickly turned, looking fearful. But her expression quickly changed when she saw the monkey, and she laughed. Oh, he s so cute! Carla exclaimed. Quick, Lisa, take my picture before he moves! Lisa rummaged through her backpack and fished out her phone. But, as she was about to take the picture, a group of their classmates walked by. Hey, a monkey! one of the boys shouted. Without warning, he separated from the group and ran over to the cage, rattling the bars violently with his hands. Lisa watched in horror
as the little emperor tamarin shrieked and fled to the top corner of the small cage, while the boy laughed and rejoined his friends. Hey! Lisa yelled, turning around to confront the boy. But he and his friends were gone, and when she turned back toward Carla, it seemed as if her friend had not even noticed the commotion. What? Carla asked, when Lisa didn t say anything. Did you get my picture in time? Lisa is upset about what she has just witnessed, but Carla seems to only care about whether or not her picture came out well. How can Lisa explain to Carla what s so upsetting about the boy s actions and why this scene isn t fit for a photo shoot? Lisa is right to be distressed by the boy s unkind treatment of the emperor tamarin, but Carla might not understand why it is so cruel. While it might be easy for Lisa to forget about the incident and retake her friend s picture, it is important for her to explain her feelings to her friend and to realize that this dilemma might run deeper than first meets the eye. All animals deserve to be treated with respect and kindness, and primates are no exception. The boy who disturbed the tamarin did not respect the monkey s right to a peaceful life, and he also caused the animal a great deal of emotional stress. At the most basic level, Lisa can explain to her friend that she is upset when she sees animals being treated unkindly, and that an unhappy animal never makes for a happy picture. However, the even greater dilemma may be the setting of the incident: a zoo. Our primate relatives are some of the most complex and emotional creatures in the world. They live in many diverse habitats, with many kinds of social 2
groups, and with different needs and lifestyles. Although a zoo can make for a fun field trip or a day s adventure for us, humans, is it really an okay place for primates to live? Zoos are great for many reasons. They give us the chance to see wild animals close up, and they give scientists the opportunity to study animals more easily. Zoos can also contribute to conservation by educating people and taking care of endangered species, like tamarins, that might one day disappear from the wild altogether. And since zoos are likely here to stay, we should do our best to make them kinder, better places for animals. The problem is, zoos cannot always provide each animal with exactly what he or she needs. This includes keeping the animals busy, intellectually stimulated, and entertained, as well as trying to make their lives as natural as possible. For example, certain primate species may be naturally inclined to socialize in big groups, swinging through trees in vast rainforests, leading nocturnal lives, or eating a specific diet. As Lisa saw, zoos can be stressful places for animals, and the countless visitors who pass through can be loud, overwhelming, and even unkind to the animals. While good zoos make sure that their animals can escape to quiet places when they need time alone, some leave their animals with no place to hide. All this stress on top of boredom can make some zoo animals show behaviors that are unnatural and distressing, from pacing to pulling out their own hair. There are several reasons why the tamarin that Lisa sees does not appear to be ideally cared for. First of all, the fact that Carla can lean right up against the cage shows that the monkey is too close to visitors and does not have enough privacy. This can put human visitors and the monkey in a dangerous situation, since both have the potential to hurt each other. Additionally, since we are so closely related to primates, we can easily pass diseases back and forth. These illnesses, such as the flu or common cold, may be mild for humans but can be deadly to primates, 3
which is why good zoos will keep their animals behind glass barriers and not in unprotected cages. On top of that, the monkey has nowhere to escape to when the boy rattles the cage, which suggests that the cage is too small to begin with. Finally, although Lisa might not know it, tamarins are very social monkeys, so, unless there s some reason why this particular tamarin is being kept alone, it s sad to see one without any companions. Lisa should share these considerations with Carla so that she can also see why a picture with this emperor tamarin might not be the happiest one. If they have time before they have to get back on the bus, they might even let a zookeeper know that they saw another visitor disturbing the monkey; they can suggest that the zookeeper might want to check in on the monkey to make sure that he is okay and that he has somewhere to go to escape disturbances in the future. Lastly, if Lisa feels comfortable doing so, she might consider writing a letter to the zoo, telling them about her concerns for the monkey and sharing some suggestions for how they might be able to improve his enclosure. And, if she can convince Carla to help her write it, that would be even better, since it would mean that Lisa has educated her friend and gained another ally for primates! 4
About Emperor Tamarins Geographic Distribution & Habitat: Emperor tamarins live in the Amazon Rainforest, ranging from Peru in the west to Brazil in the east. The rainforest and other tree-covered areas provide them with plenty of space to climb and explore. Size: Emperor tamarins are very small about the size of squirrels. They are usually about 10 in (15 cm) long. This does not include their tails, which can be up to 16 in (40 cm) long. *Artwork derived from photo by Borcken Inglory/ Creative Commons 5
Appearance: Besides their prominent white moustaches, emperor tamarins are characterized by their silverygray bodies and reddish-golden tails. Diet: From flowers and fruits to butterflies, lizards, and tree frogs, emperor tamarins seem to eat it all! Because they are small and light (weighing about 18 oz), they are able to forage and hunt more efficiently and sneakily than many larger primates. Behavior & Lifestyle: Females rule in the emperor tamarins world. They live in groups of approximately ten individuals, with the oldest females leading the group and giving birth to most of the young. Like most other tamarins, emperor tamarins usually have twins, who are born with a little bit of white fluff around their mouths. Someday, they ll have long, elegant moustaches like their parents! In the wild, emperor tamarins live a good life of around 15 years. Threats & Conservation: Emperor tamarins are not currently threatened, but that does not mean that their status should not be monitored. Deforestation is an ongoing problem in the Amazon, and, in some areas, emperor tamarins may be traded as pets. 6
Fun Facts: What s in a Name?: How did a squirrel-sized monkey like the emperor tamarin end up with such a big name? It s all in the moustache! Emperor tamarins are said to have been named after the German emperor Wilhelm II, who was famous for his large, distinctive moustache. Noteworthy Claws: The Primate Order is often defined as having fingernails instead of claws. However, emperor tamarins like most tamarins have claws on all of their digits except for their big toes. This seems to be a special adaptation to their environment, since claws help them grasp branches and swing through the trees with ease. Varied Vision: The world does not look the same to all emperor tamarins! While all males and some females are dichromats, seeing in two colors, the rest of the females are trichromats, seeing in three colors. Dichromats are well-suited to detecting prey, who may be camouflaged against the dense rainforest, while trichromats may have an easier time finding the ripest fruits, so it s beneficial to have both in the population. 7