Lemurs: Lemuridae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Ringtailed Lemur (lemur Catta): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, LEMURS AND PEOPLE
Lemurs are found in Madagascar and the Comoros Islands.
Lemurs live in tropical forests, or warm damp forested areas, plus subtropical areas located near tropical areas. These include dry scrub, dry tropical deciduous forests where leaves fall off during winter months, and occasionally grassy areas.
Lemurs eat plant foods, including flowers, plant juices, fruits, leaves, seeds, and seedpods. Occasionally some feed on insects, small vertebrates such as lizards, and bird's eggs. Bamboo lemurs prefer young bamboo shoots and leaves.
People hunt and trap lemurs for food. Some lemurs are kept as pets. Others are shipped overseas for the illegal pet trade. Sometimes lemurs are killed if they're blamed for feeding on food crops. However, ecotourism (travelers coming from abroad to see local wildlife) is helping lemurs to survive. Ecotourism brings in a lot of money, so it is hoped that local people will benefit and aid world efforts to keep lemurs from becoming extinct, dying out.
Additional Topics
Lemur males and females are about the same size. Lemurs weigh 4.4 to 10 pounds (2 to 4.5 kilograms), depending on species, with the mongoose lemur being the smallest. Adult head and body length is 11 to 22 inches (28 to 56 centimeters). Thickly furred lemur tails are from 11 to 22.5 inches (28 to 65 centimeters) long. For jumping ease, lemurs have strong hind or back limbs which are longer than th…
All lemurs are arboreal, living in trees. Some species also spend time on the ground. When in trees, lemurs walk and run on all fours. They also leap between trees. Their tail helps in balancing and steering during these leaps. Lemurs are social, living in groups of two to twenty members, depending on species. Large groups break up into smaller groups to look for food, then rejoin at night. Within…
Madagascar is the only place where lemurs are found. Animal grazing, farming, tree cutting for fuel and brush fires decrease habitat, or living areas. Since only 10 to 15 percent of Madagascar's forests remain, all lemur species are threatened or could become threatened. Two species are Critically Endangered, facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild; one species is Endangered…
Physical characteristics: Ringtailed lemurs are about the size of a cat. Males and females look alike. Adult weight is 6.5 to 7.75 pounds (3 to 3.5 kilograms). Head and body length is 15 to 18 inches long (39 to 46 centimeters). These lemurs are gray with white undersides. Black eye-rings in a white fox-like face surround bright orange eyes. They have a very long, black-and-white ringed tail, whic…
Physical characteristics: The crowned lemur has a contrasting color, or "crown," on the top of its head. Males have brownish fur with orange fur encircling a whitish face. Their crown is a black fur patch between the ears. Females have short, gray-brown body hair with a red-orange patch on their crown. Both males and females have round orange eyes. Adult crowned lemurs weigh 4.5 poun…
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