Lemurs are part of a suborder of primates known as
prosimians, and make up the infraorder Lemuriformes.
This type of primate was the evolutionary predecessor of
monkeys and apes (simians). The term “lemur” is
derived from the Latin word lemures, which means
“spirits of the night.” This likely refers to many lemurs’
nocturnal behavior and their large, reflective eyes. It is
generically used for the members of the four lemuriform
families, but it is also the genus of one of the lemuriform
species. The two flying lemur species are not lemurs, nor
are they even primates.
Lemurs are found naturally only on the island of
Madagascar and some smaller surrounding islands,
including the Comoros (where it is likely they were
introduced by humans). While they were displaced in the
rest of the world by monkeys, apes, and other primates,
the lemurs were safe from competition on Madagascar
and differentiated into a number of species. These range
in size from the tiny 30-gram pygmy mouse lemur to the
10-kilogram indri. The larger species have all become
extinct since humans settled on Madagascar, and since
the early twentieth century the largest lemurs reach about
seven kilograms. Typically, the smaller lemurs are active
at night (nocturnal), while the larger ones are active during
the day (diurnal).
All lemurs are endangered species, due mainly to
habitat destruction (deforestation) and hunting. Although
conservation efforts are underway, options are limited
because of the lemurs’ limited range and because
Madagascar is desperately poor. Currently, there are
approximately 32 living lemur species.
The ring-tailed lemur is a relatively large prosimian,
belonging to the family Lemuridae. Ring-tailed lemurs
are the only species within the genus Lemur and are
found only on the island of Madagascar. Although threatened by habitat destruction and therefore listed as
vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, ring-tailed lemurs are
the most populous lemurs in zoos worldwide; they reproduce
readily in captivity.
Mostly grey with white underparts, ring-tailed
lemurs have slender frames; their narrow faces are white
with black lozenge-shaped patches around the eyes and
black vulpine muzzles. The lemurs’ trademark, their
long, bushy tails, are ringed in black and white. Like all
lemurs, ring-tailed lemurs have hind limbs longer than
their forelimbs; their palms and soles are padded with
soft, leathery skin and their fingers are slender and dextrous.
On the second toe of their hind limbs, ring-tailed
lemurs have claws specialized for grooming purposes.
The very young animals have blue eyes while the
eyes of all adults are a striking yellow. Adults may reach
a body length of 46 centimeters (18 inches) and a weight
of 5.5 kilograms (12 pounds). Their tails are longer than
their bodies, at up to 56 centimeters (22 inches) in length.
Found in the southwest of Madagascar and ranging
farther into highland areas than any other lemur, ringtailed
lemurs inhabit deciduous forests with grass floors
or forests along riverbanks (gallery forests); some may
also inhabit dry, open brush where few trees grow. Ringtailed
lemurs are thought to require primary forest (that
is, forests that have remained undisturbed by human
activity) in order to survive; such forests are now being
cleared at a troubling rate.
While primarily frugivores (fruit-eating), ring-tailed
lemurs will also eat leaves, seeds, and the odd insect.
Ring-tailed lemurs are diurnal and primarily arboreal
animals, forming troops of up to 25 individuals. Social
hierarchies are determined by sex, with a distinct hierarchy
for each gender; females tend to dominate the troop,
while males will alternate between troops. Lemurs claim
a sizable territory, which does not overlap with those of
other troops; up to 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) of this territory
may be covered in a single day’s foraging.
Both vocal and olfactory signals are important to
ring-tailed lemurs’ communication: 15 distinct vocalizations
are used. A fatty substance is exuded from the
lemurs’ glands, which the lemurs run their tails through;
this scent is used by both sexes to mark territory and to
challenge would-be rivals amongst males. The males
vigorously wave their tails high in the air in an attempt to
overpower the scent of others.
The breeding season runs from April to June, with the female fertile period lasting for only a day. Gestation lasts for about 146 days, resulting in a litter of either one or two. The young lemurs begin to eat solid food after two months and are fully weaned after five months.
