Ring-tailed lemur

Like all lemur species, the ring-tailed lemur is found exclusively in Madagascar; this is what is called an endemic species. It is a primate that easily adapts to a large number of habitats such as tropical forests, gallery forests, but also drier and bushier forests. It can survive temperatures ranging from –12 to nearly 48°C. This lemur can be found in the south and southwest of Madagascar.

The ring-tailed lemur is diurnal and lives in mixed groups of 15-20 individuals. It moves just as well in trees as it does on the ground. In fact, it is the most terrestrial of all lemurs, spending more than 40% of its time on the ground. As with hyenas, it is the female ring-tailed lemur who dominates over the male. The females spend their entire lives in the same group, whereas the males change groups every 2 to 5 years.

Active during the day, they spend their day searching for food and move about as a group, covering no more than 1 km per day. It is therefore not uncommon to see them sunbathing. In fact, their scent glands need stimulation from the sun’s rays.

These glands are located at the armpits and the wrists (antebrachial) and allow them to mark their territory and enhance communication among individuals. The antebrachial glands of males are moreover more developed and resemble small spurs to scratch trees for better marking.

During the breeding season, the males use the secretions from these glands to engage in a scent battle, soaking their tails with strong odors, which they then wave at their opponent to drive him away.

In addition to olfactory communication, the ring-tailed lemur also uses a number of postures and facial expressions as well as vocalizations such as alarm calls when a predator approaches. Social bonds within the group are also reinforced by grooming sessions. On the upper jaw are 6 elongated teeth forming a dental comb, very useful for grooming its fur and that of its peers.

The breeding season begins in April, when the females mate with several males. The latter engage in scent combats to determine who wins the right to mate with a female. After a gestation of 130 to 144 days, births usually occur between August and September. Females give birth to one or two offspring at a time, who remain clinging to their mother’s belly during the first two weeks. They are weaned from 8 weeks and reach maturity at about 20 months for females and 29 months for males.

Males rarely invest in the care and upbringing of the young. Females, on the other hand, help each other carry, feed, groom, or babysit their young.

It has been observed that in young females, the mortality rate of offspring during their first year of life can reach nearly 50%. This rate is lower in older females who have already gained experience from previous pregnancies.

The ring-tailed lemur is an opportunistic omnivore. It feeds on fruits, leaves, flowers, stems, sap, invertebrates, and also birds and other small vertebrates. The most appreciated fruits are those of the tamarind, a fruit tree that is particularly present in Madagascar.

These lemurs can be preyed upon by fossas, civets, snakes, raptors, as well as other lemur species such as brown lemurs.

The ring-tailed lemur is classified as endangered by the IUCN.

The main causes of the disappearance of the ring-tailed lemur are the reduction and transformation of its habitat. Forests are destroyed to create grazing land or crops but also due to the growing demand for wood. In addition, Madagascar being a very poor country, they are hunted for their meat as well as to be sold as pets.

It is estimated that nearly 50% of the population has disappeared over the past 36 years. Today it is highly fragmented.

Yet the ring-tailed lemur helps preserve these ecosystems by dispersing seeds through its droppings.