·
All lemurs
are considered endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ·
The name “lemur” comes from the Latin word lemures, which means “ghosts.” Ring-tailed
lemurs are named for their long tail, which has 13 alternating black and white
rings running down the length. These lemurs have a black crown and nose, and
their eyes are surrounded by small triangles of black fur. Their faces and ears
are white, and the rest of their body is covered with grey and brown fur.
Their undersides are a creamy white. They have scent glands on their wrists and
chest. Ring-tailed lemurs live
in the forests of southern and southwest Madagascar. Ring-tailed lemurs eat
leaves, flowers, fruit, sap and bark. They are especially fond of food from the kily tree. They
occasionally eat insects. Ring-tailed lemurs undergo
gestation periods of four to five months. Females begin to reproduce when they
reach three years of age. They are friendly towards the infants of other
females, and may even allow them to nurse. Young lemurs first ride clinging upside down to
their mothers’ bellies, but after two weeks, ride on their backs. They are
weaned at approximately five months of age. Living in troops of three to 25 individuals, female
ring-tailed lemurs are dominant over males. They are active by day and in the
early morning, they sunbathe, lying on their backs with their front paws resting
on their hind legs, before feeding. They spend up to 40 percent of their time on
the ground, and the rest in trees. When travelling, they raise their tails in
the air so other members of the group can see where they are. Habitat destruction is the major conservation concern for
ring-tailed lemurs. All the
World’s Animals: Primates. Torstar Books, 1985 Life Nature
Library: The Primates, Time-Life Books, 1980 A Complete
Guide to Monkeys, Apes and other Primates, Michael Kavanagh, Oregon Press
Limited, 1983 http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/lemur/l._catta$narrative.html http://www.duke.edu/web/primate/catta.html http://www.scz.org/animals/l/rtlemur.html http://www.xmission.com/~hoglezoo/mammals/rtlemur.htm http://www.rhrwildlife.com/theanimals/l/lemurringtailed/ http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/primate/Rtlemurprintout.shtml
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Primates
Family:
Lemuridae
Size:
Length: 15 to 18 inches (38 to 46 cm) Tail:
approximately 24 inches (60 cm)
Weight:
6.5 to 7.75 pounds (3 to 3.5 kg)
Diet:
Fruit, leaves, flowers, bark, sap and insects
Distribution:
Madagascar
Young:
1 every year, twins are not uncommon
Animal Predators:
Unknown
IUCN Status:
Vulnerable
Terms:
Group: Troop
Lifespan:
20 to 27 years
Facts/Trivia:
Description
Habitat
Feeding Habits
Reproduction
Behaviour
Conservation
Sources