Ring-tailed lemur
Lemur catta
About
There is no mistaking ring-tailed lemurs, with their iconic stripy tails and bright orange eyes!
Ring-tailed lemurs are extremely agile, social animals that spend much of their time grooming each other. Their long, striped tails exceed the length of their bodies and help them maintain balance while moving through the forest. They also hold their tails in the air to ensure they don’t lose sight of each other.
Native to Madagascar, they live in groups and communicate through loud, distinctive calls, which they use to warn of potential danger. Their opposable thumbs come in handy when navigating the forest, allowing them to grip branches and grab objects with ease.
During mating season, the females mate with several males and come into season on different days. This staggers their receptiveness to the males and ensures that all the females have a good chance of successfully breeding.
Scent glands on the males' wrists mark their territory and are also used to have stink fights when competing for a female!
Ring-tailed lemur facts
Threats
We’re working to protect wild lemur populations in Madagascar. Most lemur species there are facing severe population declines due to habitat loss and agricultural expansion. Our efforts in the Mangabe New Protected Area are focused on safeguarding these populations.
Human intervention
Hunting or collection
Climate change and severe weather
