ANIMAL: Ring-Tailed Lemur Lemur catta Type of Animal: Lemur Habitat: Deciduous forest, rainforest, sub-alpine forest, gallery forest, spiny bush forest, dry forest, dry bush, dry scrub, rock canyons, savanna, montane forest, arid open areas Location(s): S. & S.W Madagascar Appearance: Grey with distinctive striped tail and big eyes on white face. Also have whitish ears. Looks kind of like a raccoon. Food/Diet: Fruits, leaves, berries, vegetables, flowers, herbs, bark, sap, insect cocoons, decayed wood, grasshoppers, cicadas, spiders, caterpillars, chameleons, birds, bird eggs, small mammals Status in Wild: Endangered Conservation: Breeding in zoos & wildlife centers Lifestyle: Troops comprise of 13-15 lemurs, led by a dominant female. Additional Info: Called: Male Female Young-Infant Group-Troop Weight: Male-5.5-7.7 lbs Female-5-6.6 lbs Young-3.04-9.92 oz Gestation: 4.5 months Height: 1.25-1.5 ft Body Length: 1.25-1.5 ft Life Span: 16 years in wild, up to 25 years in captivity Tail Length: 2 ft Main predators are fossas, raptors, civets, snakes, domestic cats, domestic dogs, & crocodiles. Brown Lemurs prey on young. Males often engage in ritualized “stink fights” during breeding season, sometimes w/ a few biting injuries. When troop territory invaded, high-ranking females lead deadly battles against rival troop w/ help from other troop members. “Jump fight” strategy is used. Declining in wild due to pet trade, deforestation, land conversion, habitat loss, hunting for fur/meat, & introduced predators. Females sexually mature at 1.5 years old, males sexually mature at 2 years old. Glands in tail used to mark territory. One of the most vocal primates, using several different alarm calls warning of danger. Flag-raised tails keep troop members together. Fun Fact(s): They’re fairly docile animals. Some zoos have walk-through exhibits with them. This species was popularized by the movie Madagascar, in which Sacha Baron Cohen played a lemur named King Julian. They’re very popular in zoos. They love to sunbathe.
