Ring-Tailed Lemur

[edit] Guide Note

A Ring-tailed Lemur is a large Strepsirhine primate. It is most easily recognized thanks to its long black and white ringed tail. It is endemic to Madagascar, the most terrestrial of all Lemurs, and share some of the unique features of other lemurs, including specialized teeth in their lower jaw.¹

[edit] Fast Facts

1. Habitat: Gallery forests and spiny scrub in southern Madagascar
2. Diet: Omnivorous
3. Size: Approximately 1.39 feet, weigh on average 4.88 pounds¹
4. Lifespan: 16-19 years in the wild, 27 in captivity¹
5. Predators: Raptors, larger carnivores, snakes¹

Duke Lemur Center discovered that the Ring-tailed Lemur can organize sequences in memory and retrieve ordered sequences without language²

[edit] Living Style

Lemurs live in groups of up to 25 individuals. These groups are organized in a matriarchal fashion - a trait common among lemurs but uncommon among other primates. To keep warm, Ring-tailed Lemurs engage in sunbathing, where they stand up on their back legs and rest their forearms on their haunches. ³

[edit] Unique Behaviors

The males are known for a unique scent marking behavior and will engage one another in "stink fights" in which they rub their tails with the scent glands found in their wrists, and they waft the scent at opponents.⁴

[edit] Habits

The Ring-Tailed Lemur is one of the most vocal primates and utilizes numerous sounds and calls, including group cohesion and alarm calls. ⁵

[edit] Preservation Status

They are listed as being endangered because the forests they live in are disappearing. ⁶

[edit] Other Lemur Subspecies

• Verreaux's sifaka
• Red-tailed sportive lemur
• White-footed sportive lemur
• Brown lemur
• Greater dwarf lemur
• Fat-tailed dwarf lemur
• Aye-aye
• Ruffed lemur
• Lesser bamboo lemur

[edit] Related Pages on Mahalo