Ring Tailed Lemur
Lemur catta · Mammal, primate
From the Capy Learning Corner encyclopedia
- Native range
- Found in the wild only in Madagascar, in dry forests and scrub in the island's south.
- Size
- Cat sized, with a black and white banded tail longer than the body.
- Lifespan
- Commonly into their late teens or beyond in professional care.
- Conservation
- IUCN Endangered. Wild populations have fallen sharply with habitat loss, hunting, and the pet trade.
Little Learners Corner
Ring tailed lemurs live only in Madagascar, and in their families, the moms and grandmas are the bosses.
Say it like a scientist: LEE-mur KAT-uh
Where They Live
Lemurs split time between trees and ground more than most primates, sunbathing in a famous yoga like posture each morning.
What They Eat
Mostly fruit and leaves, plus flowers, bark, and the occasional insect.
How They Live
Troops of a dozen or more, and females outrank males, full stop. Males compete in stink fights, wafting scented tails at rivals until someone concedes.
Ring Tailed Lemurs as Pets?
Every lemur bought as a pet feeds a trade that is helping empty Madagascar's forests, and a lemur without a troop is a profoundly lonely animal.
Fun Facts
Lemur troops are matriarchies; the top female eats first and settles disputes.
That striped tail is not for gripping; it is a banner for keeping the troop together and for stink fights.
Ring tailed lemurs purr.
Capy Quiz: Prove It
Who runs a ring tailed lemur troop?
Keep exploring: Red Fox came before this, Otter is next, or head back to the full Animal Encyclopedia.
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