Ring-tailed lemur

Lemur catta

Status

Endangered

Activity Period

Diurnal

Classification

Mammal

Each lemur has exactly 13 alternating black and white bands on its tail.

Male ring-tailed lemurs rub their long tail on scent glands on their wrists and shoulders and then waft their tail toward other males. Lemur biologists call this ritual a “stink-fight”.

tiger licking cage

Habitat

These primates prefer forests of all kinds but tend to stay on the ground when foraging for food.

Range

Ring-tailed lemurs occupy much of southern Madagascar as long as suitable habitat is available.

Life Expectancy

Under human care, they can live past 30 years of age. The oldest recorded lemur in the wild lived to be 20 years old.

Diet

Fruit, leaves, flowers, bark, and sap from trees with the occasional insect or small vertebrate. At the zoo, our lemurs get fruits, leaves, yams, and a special "primate chow" that includes needed vitamins and minerals.

Social Structure

They live in mixed groups of 6-24 individuals. Females are in charge of these groups.

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