Ring-Tailed Lemur
Ring-Tailed Lemur
2. Although widely distributed throughout the dry forests of southwestern Madagascar (some of the hottest, driest and least hospitable forests in the country), Lemur catta exists in only a few protected areas. Lemurs spend most of their time in the trees, but this species also spends considerable time on the ground.
3. The lemur is a prosimian - an “early primate” - and a relative of monkeys and other primates. The ring-tailed lemur is named for the 13 alternating black and white bands on its sometimes two-foot-long tail. The adult is about the size of a house cat.
4. All ring-tailed lemurs have white faces with dark triangular eye patches and a black nose. Their bodies are mostly gray and rosy brown in color on the back, white on the belly, gray on the limbs, and dark gray on their heads and necks.
5. They also have a soft skin covering on their soles and palms that allows them to grip onto various objects. Six comb-like teeth sticking straight out from their lower jaws are used for grooming along with the second toes on their hind feed which have specialized claws. Males have a fingernail-like spur near each wrist that emits a strong scent for marking territories.
6. Ring-tailed lemurs are social animals, living in troops of 15 - 25 individuals. Females are dominant within the troop and defend territories they’ve scent-marked by leaping and darting toward intruders. The male lemurs tend to hang back until the battle is over.
7. The core of a troop of ring-tailed lemurs consists mainly of the females and their young. Males come and go from one troop to another, while females stay with the one in which they were born. As the troop moves from feeding site to feeding site, the core group settles into the best feeding spot (generally a good tree) and eats first. The males wait for them to finish or feed in a less desired tree nearby. Lemurs communicate vocally with howls and trills as well as through scent markings.
8. They keep their tails raised in the air, like flags, to keep group members together. They spend more time on the ground (and less in the trees) than any other species of lemur. They often walk on all fours but will stand and run in a sideways skipping motion when necessary to escape quickly. Ring-tailed lemurs’ hind legs are longer than their front legs, so when they walk on the ground on all fours, their hind ends stick up in the air!
9. Gestation is approximately 134-138 days. All infants in a large troop may be born in a matter of days. Single infants are most common, but twins are a frequent sight in ring-tailed troops when food is plentiful. A newborn is carried in its mother’s mouth until the baby is able to cling to the mother’s stomach or back. Groups of females switch infants, baby sit, form play groups, and even allow infants other than their own to nurse.
10. Ring-tailed lemurs are sunbathers, sitting with their bellies facing the sun with arms and legs stretched out. This unusual position was thought to be “praying” by early inhabitants of the island, which led to the belief that lemurs were “religious creatures” or “sun worshippers.” This belief helped protect these creatures for many years since islanders refused to harm them.
11. Ring-tailed lemurs are one of the most vocal primates. They have several different alarm calls with distinct meanings to alert members of their group to potential danger.
13. Ring-tailed lemurs have scent glands on their wrists and chests that they use to mark their foraging routes. Male ringtails are equipped with scent glands on their wrists which are used in "stink fighting" with a rival male. A horny spur on the male’s wrist gland is used to pierce tree branches before scent marking them.
14. Ring-tailed lemurs have six lower teeth that stick straight out from the jaw forming a “toothcomb” that they use to groom their fur to remove excess fur and parasites. They also groom other troop members which helps reinforce social bonds within the group.
15. Males have “stink fights” for the right to breed with females - the smelliest guy fathers the most offspring.
16. The eyes of a newborn ring-tailed lemur are blue, not the brilliant yellow of adults.
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