Ring Tailed Lemur

Vulnerable

Lemur catta

Size: 2 feet long, 6 - 7 pounds

Lifespan: 20 - 25 years

Range/Habitat: Southwest Madagascar in arid oopen spaces and forests.

Ring-Tails live in groups of three to twenty-five individuals. Females are dominant in these groups, meaning they have preferential access to food and mates. Lemurs will gather in their groups to groom eachother and sunbathe. When sunbathing, lemurs will sit on their haunches with the undersides toward the sun. Lemurs communicate through various methods including, scent marking, facial expressions, vocalizations and in using their long tails.

Conservation Concerns:

The primary thread to the Ring-Tailed Lemur is habitat loss. The Ring-Tail’s habitats are being destroyed to make room for grazing lands for domestic animals and by logging. Lemurs are also at risk from hunters and trappers. Lemurs are captured illegally and sold around the world as pets.

Studys in the wild show that the Ring-Tailed population is decreasing . This increases the importance zoos play in the Ring-Tail’s future as they breed very well in zoos.