Where Ringtail Lemurs Dwell, And Why They’re Endangered
Where Ringtail Lemurs Dwell, And Why They Are Endangered: Ring-tailed lemurs are among the most unique and easily identified lemur species. Learn more about this critically endangered species from the Lemur Conservation Network’s professional guide.
Ring-tailed lemurs, like all lemur species, are native to Madagascar, an island off the coast of East Africa.
Lemurs are the world’s most endangered group of mammals; indeed, they are the world’s most endangered group of vertebrates.
New information from the 2020 IUCN Red List, 98% of lemur species are threatened with extinction, and 31% are endangered, which means they are at risk of extinction in the wild.
The IUCN Red List classifies ring-tailed lemurs as vulnerable.
What exactly is a ring-tailed lemur?
Ring-tailed lemurs are medium-sized primates around the size of a domestic cat. Ring-tailed lemurs weigh between 3 and 3.5 kilogrammes as adults.
Ring-tailed lemurs can live for up to 20 years in the wild. They are the most frequent lemur species found in zoos, where they can live for up to a decade longer.
What is the ring-tailed lemur’s scientific name?
The ring-tailed lemur is referred to as Lemur catta in scholarly literature.
Ring-tailed lemurs are strepsirrhine primates. Lemurs, lorises, and galagos are all members of this group. They are also referred to as “wet-nosed” primates.
Lemurs are also part of the prosimian group, including all strepsirrhines and tarsiers.
Where can you find ring-tailed lemurs?
Madagascar, the world’s fourth biggest island, is home to all kinds of lemurs. Ring-tailed lemurs are found in Madagascar’s southern and southwestern areas. In this region, summers are warm and humid, winters are cool and dry, and rainfall is unpredictable.
Ring-tailed lemurs are an ecologically “adaptable” primate. This implies they can be found in many habitats, including rocky forests, gallery forests, deciduous forests, spiny forests, and human-influenced open savannas.
Some ring-tailed lemurs have been observed using caves to escape the heat and cliff walls to avoid predators.
The prickly forest is possibly their most harsh habitat. Temperatures are high, and supplies are frequently scarce. The Malagasy spiny forest is scarce, as similar woodlands do not exist anywhere else.
It has minimal shade and is dominated by prickly plants and short trees. Ring-tailed lemurs feed on the sticky, fat-rich sap produced by the cactus-like plants.
These lemurs have learned to navigate the region’s spiky plants over many generations.
What makes ring-tailed lemurs unique?
Ring-tailed lemurs flirt with their tails!
The most noticeable feature of ring-tailed lemurs is their 60-inch-long black and white striped tail.
Ring-tailed lemurs have “antebrachial” glands on their wrists that secrete pheromones (a form of chemical signal) that they rub on their tails and toss into the air. This is known as “stink flirting.”
Horn spurs cover these glands in males. They use them to mark their territory, including leaves, sticks, and even tree trunks!
Ring-tailed lemurs have a strong sense of smell!
Ring-tailed lemurs, like all strepsirrhines, exhibit rudimentary skull characteristics, including a tiny brain for a primate.
They also have a long nose with an acute sense of smell. Strepsirrhines are also unusual because they have the same reflecting “eye shine” as many other mammals at night, including deer and foxes.
Ring-tailed lemurs have distinctive teeth!
Like other lemur species, ring-tailed lemurs have a “dental ridge.” The lower incisors and canines are tightly squeezed in this unusual dental adaption.
Lemurs groom themselves and other group members with their oral comb. Except for the second toe, they have nails on their hands and feet.
This “toilet claw” is used for personal hygiene.
When do lemurs go out, and how do they move?
Ring-tailed lemurs are diurnal, which means they spend most of their time active during the day. They are the most terrestrial lemur species and spend much time feeding, travelling, and sleeping in trees.
Lemurs can be found both on the ground and in the trees; these lemurs mostly move quadrupedally (on all four limbs). They are also excellent jumpers!
Ring-tailed lemurs are frequently observed sunbathing in the sun with their arms spread during the day. This is commonly known as “sun worship.”
To remain warm while sleeping, the group forms “lemur balls.”
Ring-tailed lemurs eat what?
Ring-tailed lemurs are either frugivores/folivores or omnivores. They occasionally eat fruits, flowers, leaves, bark, plant sap, insects, and mineral-rich soil.
Their nutrition is primarily determined by their habitat and the time of year (wet or dry season).
Ring-tailed lemurs play a vital role in seed dispersal as well. When lemurs consume fruit, they eat the seeds as well.
The seeds are not broken down by the lemurs’ digestive tract and end up back in the forest with their excreta. Many of these seeds will eventually sprout into new trees!
A group of ring-tailed lemurs is known as what?
Ring-tailed lemurs live in big social groups called “troops” comprising three to thirty individuals.
Males form separate groupings after reaching sexual maturation. Females are born into the same group as males.
Females predominate in ring-tailed lemur society. Female lemurs demonstrate preference in grooming and feeding, including first access to high-value foods like fruit.
Troops control regions; each soldier is responsible for defending their territory when others enter. Females lead these struggles, and their offspring must hold on fast.
Why are they in danger? What threats do they face?
Predators in the wild
The feline fossa is the most common natural predator of the ring-tailed lemur (also called; Cryptoprocta ferox).
This predator can be found across Madagascar and frequently hunts lemurs in trees. Large birds of prey, such as the Madagascar harrier, hunt lemurs (particularly youngsters).
To protect themselves from predators, ring-tailed lemurs use various methods, including keeping a lookout and employing alarm cries to warn each other.
On the other hand, the natural predator-prey dynamic is critical in any ecosystem. It is not a severe issue for the survival of lemurs in Madagascar.
Loss of habitat
The most severe threat to ring-tailed lemurs in the wild is habitat loss. Madagascar has been designated as a biodiversity hotspot.
Slash-and-burn agriculture is widespread in southern Madagascar, where ring-tailed lemurs live. This can cause wildfires to spread into protected areas such as national parks and reserves.
When habitat is lost, lemur forests become fragmented and spotty. This makes it harder for men to join other units, reducing genetic diversity.
Animals require genetic diversity to adapt to changing environmental conditions and diseases, which is essential for species survival.
