Who is a lemur? Ring-tailed lemur - a fidget from Madagascar

Madagascar is sometimes called Lemuria. Here you can find 99 species and subspecies of lemurs, of which 39 were discovered quite recently, between 2000 and 2008. Lemurs have round, often very large and glowing in the dark eyes, an elongated muzzle, long, but not tenacious, as is the case with monkeys , tail, short front legs (they jump on two hind legs Oh). They have a shrill voice, similar to the cry of a capricious child. At night, loud “lemur concerts” are heard in the forests. Lemurs live in flocks in trees, feeding on insects and fruits.

In Madagascar and neighboring islands, the population considers lemurs to be sacred animals. There is a legend that once upon a time, lemurs were people, and then, living in the forest, they grew hair and turned into animals. When some careless lemur falls into a trap, the Malagasy will certainly free it and release it, and if the lemur is injured, it will heal it. Seeing a lemur in the forest, a peasant or hunter ceremoniously bows to him and greets him as if he were a close relative.

This family includes the mouse lemur - the smallest representative of primates (12 - 13 cm in length), vri (reaching a length of 100 - 115 cm), as well as catta, mongo, etc. These agile, mobile animals live mainly in trees in family groups, They feed on fruits, insects, and are nocturnal. Another family, the indri, includes the short-tailed indri, the shaggy indri and the crested indri, or sifaka. In addition, here you can find a strange creature with very tenacious forelimbs - the little arm.

Aye-aye (aye)

Aye-aye (aye), or Madagascar little hand - Daubentonia madagascariensis- most major representative nocturnal primates. It has a brown color with white speckles and a large fluffy tail. A feature of the aye-aye that immediately catches your eye is the third toe on the forelimbs. The animal combs its fur with this finger and uses it for drinking, extracting and consuming food. Experiments by scientists have shown that when searching for food, as well as the bats, use echolocation. The third finger of the aye-aye catches the sound waves that arise and spread through the thickness of the tree when tapped - in this way the animal tries to detect the movement of the larvae in the wood.

Ring-tailed lemur or ring-tailed lemur

Ring-tailed lemur or ring-tailed lemur - Lemur catta- most known species from the lemur family. This is the symbol of the island of Madagascar. The tail of the ring-tailed lemur is the main pride of this animal. If the lemur's body reaches approximately 40 cm in length, then the tail is only 55 centimeters! The Madagascan name for the ring-tailed lemur is maki.

Residents of Madagascar attribute amazing abilities to lemurs. For example, they are sure that these animals know the secrets of healing: family members collect healing herbs and place them on top of the wounds of a sick relative. They also say that female lemurs, before giving birth, weave a cradle from twigs and hang it on a tree, having previously placed stones on the bottom so that the cradle is not blown away by the wind.

Few people in the world know how to love as much as ring-tailed lemurs. When a married couple is formed, the connection lasts a lifetime. If one lemur dies, the second falls into terrible melancholy: life loses all meaning for him.

Lemurs have very sensitive skin: on the surface of the palm there is a ridge relief - a special formation of depressions and elevations, thanks to which lemurs are able to “see with their hands.”

A flock of ring-tailed lemurs usually includes 12-25 individuals. The group is led by a dominant female and male. At the same time, females dominate over males, their position in the hierarchy is stable. Mothers often rest in groups, tidying up, sitting on the forest floor. Children play at this time, crawling from one female to another. It happens that three or four offspring hang on one long-suffering female at once, and meanwhile the other, leaning towards her, lovingly licks them. But males constantly have to confirm their right to dominate in fights. Each member of the pack knows its place in the social hierarchy. In their complex society, lemurs have developed a sophisticated language through which they constantly communicate with each other.

Males use the scent secreted by the axillary glands as a weapon. Before the fight, the male rubs them with his wrists, passes his tail between his legs, presses it to his chest and pulls it between his wrists so that it is thoroughly saturated with these secretions.

Mouse lemur

The smallest of the Madagascar lemurs, our smallest relative is the mouse lemur, or dwarf maquis Microcebus mitermeieri. Him snub nose and large expressive eyes. The weight of these animals is 45-85 grams. The mother carries her newborn babies, grabbing the skin on her side with her teeth, and they never hang on her either from below or on her back.

Indri and sifaka

The family of indriid lemurs is very interesting. There are four types. Indri is the largest living lemur. The length of his body including his head is about a meter. Indri is an excellent jumper: he pushes off, sharply straightening his hind limbs, and while standing flies through the air, again and again moving with high leaps from tree to tree. The most curious thing is that during such jumping-flights, animals usually use their tail. But the indri does not have a tail - just a small appendage, but this does not interfere with its “giant swing”.

A relative of the indri is the sifaka lemur. He jumps so well that he has even lost the ability to run on all fours. Its hind legs are much longer than its front legs, and if it sometimes descends to the ground, it moves by jumping in a vertical position, pushing off with both legs.

At sunrise, in the morning hours, indris and sifakas bask in the sun, while the lemurs raise their arms to the sky to warm them up well. For a long time, this prayerful pose served as a “safeguard” for lemurs: sun-worshipping animals were not hunted. But now superstitious fears have disappeared, and nothing protects the lemurs. Neither that they are our relatives, nor that they are an endangered species.

These animals live only in Madagascar. And, despite such a narrow habitat, the species of lemurs on the island are very diverse.

Who is Lemur?

Lemur is an animal that belongs to the suborder of wet-nosed primates. Lives exclusively in Madagascar.

What do lemurs look like?

These exotic animals have different sizes and differ in species. Here are some of them:

• Dwarf
• Indri
• Extinct species that were larger in size.

If the dwarf lemur weighs only 30 grams, then animals of a species such as Indri can reach a weight of up to 10 kilograms. They have quite powerful fangs that stand out slightly at the bottom of their jaw. They also have a characteristic paw structure, which has a long claw in the area of ​​the second toe.

In addition to Madagascar, they are found in the Comoros Islands, but extremely rarely. Their name came to us from Ancient Roman mythology. They are nocturnal and have fairly large eyes.

Lemurs are sedentary and occupy permanent areas, which they protect from the invasion of neighbors. About lifestyle small species lemurs have not yet been studied enough.

The most common types

According to statistics, in 1999, 31 species of these animals were known, while in 2008 there were already 97 species. Let's look at the main types:

• Hand-footed
• Dwarf
• Megaladapids
• Indriaceae

For the most part, he has the same lemon-yellow eyes and a pointed muzzle. It has a gray-white color with a white belly that stands out against the general background. But the tail has black evenly spaced rings in combination with white ones, which gives it an expressive and extraordinary appearance. Even the cry of this animal is very reminiscent of the meowing of a cat.

Lemur lifestyle

These animals are very sociable and spend most of their lives on the ground. They can be found in numbers of 30 individuals at once. Despite their rather flexible nature, lemurs in the family have quite strict rules. Unlike other animals, the main one in the pack is the female, who enjoys such advantages as the choice of food and male.

Listen to the voice of a lemur

The female always remains in the pack in which she was born, unlike males, who can move to other families several times. Typically, each group of males has its own territory, which it walks around every day, monitoring it, and searching for food.

They do not favor alien animals and are quite hostile towards them. Their favorite pastime is considered to be relaxing under the warm rays of the sun while they spread their paws in different directions.

What do lemurs eat?

Lemurs feed mainly on fruits. Sometimes fallen leaves, flowers and some insects. Mating games The birth of these animals usually begins in April, which leads to the birth of one and sometimes two cubs. The weight of the cub usually does not exceed 120 grams.

Life expectancy is usually between 35-38 years. Today there is a threat of extinction of this animal. This is due to a sharp decline in their population. Thus, the number of ring-tailed lemurs is about 100 thousand individuals. But hunting this animal has a detrimental effect on its reproduction.

A lemur is an animal that belongs to the class mammals, subclass animals, infraclass placentals, superorder Euarchontoglires, grand order Euarchonta, order primates, order primates, suborder wet-nosed monkeys, infraorder lemurs or lemuriformes (lat. Lemuriformes).

IN ancient greek mythology The word lemur was used to describe ghosts that wandered at night. Subsequently, the name “lemur” was assigned to animals with large eyes, which caused superstitious horror among the local population of the island of Madagascar.

And only the short-tailed indri, despite its impressive dimensions, has the smallest tail, growing only to 3-5 cm in length.

The thick fur of the lemur can have a wide variety of colors: some species have a protective gray-brown color, others have bright black and white, red-brown or red fur. The ring-tailed lemur has a special coloration - its long, spiral-curved tail is decorated with wide black and white stripes.

Where do lemurs live?

Millions of years ago, the ancestors of modern lemurs lived on the African continent, but as a result of a break that occurred 165 million years BC. e., part of the population was isolated on the island of Madagascar and nearby islands, where the animals survived and formed a unique island fauna.

Lemurs have long been successfully kept in zoos around the world, where primates easily adapt to life in enclosures and reproduce well. But in natural conditions, lemurs live exclusively on the island of Madagascar and the Comoros Islands, which are a unique zone containing a concentration of many endemic species of different representatives of flora and fauna.

Lemurs have mastered almost all the natural biotopes of the island of Madagascar: different species of these primates live in the jungles of the tropical monsoon climate in the east of the island, in the forests of the northeastern and southern parts, in the temperate maritime climate of its central regions and in arid forests near the western coast.

The taxonomic classification of lemurs has not yet been determined and is controversial. There are several classifications, which are presented in the table below.

The primate loris, which also belongs to the suborder of the great-nosed monkeys, is often called the "lemur loris", although this definition is imprecise.

Despite the fact that the final classification has not yet been determined, most scientists are of the opinion that the lorisiformes are a separate infraorder that is not related to the infraorder lemurs (lemuriformes).

Types of lemurs, photos and names

Initially, the lemur-like infraorder consisted of 31 species, but in 2008 it increased significantly, and today 5 families unite 101 species of lemurs. Molecular genetic studies of these animals are still ongoing, so over time the number of species may increase.

Each family of lemurs has certain characteristics.

Family Daubentoniidae

Includes only one type - Madagascan hand-footed,ah-ah or aye-aye ( Daubentonia madagascariensis) . This is the largest of the nocturnal lemurs. The mammal is nocturnal and rarely descends from the trees to the ground. The size of the arm is about 30-40 cm with a body weight of no more than 2.4-2.8 kg, and the fluffy tail of this lemur grows to 45-55 cm. The body of the animal is covered with fluffy black-brown fur with dense undercoat. The Madagascar monkey has a round head with a short, wide muzzle, orange-yellow eyes and very large ears, shaped like wide spoons. The forelimbs of the arm are shorter than the hind limbs and are equipped with long fingers. The middle fingers of the front paws are especially long, thin and hairless, adapted for catching insects from under tree bark and pushing them into the throat. Unlike other lemurs, the thumb on the hands of the hand is practically not opposed to the rest. On thumbs The mammal's feet have flat nails, and the other toes have claws. The hand-footed fish has a very unusual tooth structure: their incisors are especially large and curved. Having replaced milk teeth, animals lose their fangs, but their incisors grow throughout their lives. Due to this feature, these primates were initially classified as members of the rodent order, but later it was found out that this is a specific type of lemur, which slightly diverged during evolution from the main group. Little arms inhabit the dry forests of the western and northwestern parts of Madagascar, as well as tropical forests on the east coast of the island. The Madagascar bat is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.

Family dwarf lemurs(Cheirogaleidae)

The family includes 5 genera, formed by 34 species, and unites the smallest primates, resembling rats and mice in size. The average length of adult lemurs is about 15-20 cm with a body weight of 24 to 500 grams. Dwarf lemurs live in the crowns of trees, climbing branches like squirrels, and can sometimes be seen in reed beds. Miniature primates are active at night. Below is a description of some types.

• Dwarf mouse lemur ( Microcebus myoxinus)

The smallest representative of the genus of mouse lemurs (lat. Microcebus), as well as one of the smallest primates, its diminutiveness rivals only the pygmy marmoset. The size of the animal resembles a large mouse: the length of the lemur is only 18-22 cm, including the tail, and the weight barely reaches 24-38 (50) g. The tail, which is half the length of the body, is very thick at the base. The back of this primate is distinguished by a reddish-brown color, the color of the belly is creamy-white. The dwarf mouse lemur has a short muzzle, and its eyes are surrounded by dark rings, making them appear especially large. The animal's ears are mobile, leathery and almost completely bare. The calcaneal and navicular bones of the legs are very long, thanks to which the babies move by jumping, like squirrels. The dwarf mouse lemur is omnivorous and feeds at night, and its diet consists of fruits, leaves, pollen, plant juice and nectar, as well as small insects and their larvae. The lemur lives in the dry forests of western Madagascar.

• Rat lemur, aka rat maki ( Cheirogaleus major)

A species of small primates, growing in length from 20 to 25 cm. The body weight of adult mammals is 140-400 g. The rat maquis has a very long and thick tail, growing from 20 to 28 cm. The body of the lemur is covered with thick, dense hair, with the exception of the ears , on which short, sparse hairs grow. The animals' eyes are large, surrounded by black circles and equipped with a tapetum - a special choroid that allows them to see in the dark. The base fur coloration is rat-like and can be gray or reddish brown, with a light yellow patch of fur on the rump. Rat lemurs, like mouse lemurs, fatten and hibernate, which is not typical for most primates. Lemurs feed on various vegetation: fruits, leaves and flowers, as well as nectar and small insects. Rat lemurs spend almost their entire lives in trees. The species is distributed from Taolnaro in the southern part of its habitat to the northernmost point of Madagascar. The population is also found in the west central part of the island. Rat lemurs are not found above 1800 meters above sea level.

Family of lepilemurs or slender-bodied lemurs (Lepilemuridae)

Includes animals of medium size, with a body length of about 30 cm and a tail of the same length. Primates have a relatively slender build, and lemurs usually weigh no more than 1.2 kg. In nature, slender-bodied lemurs lead a predominantly nocturnal, arboreal lifestyle. The family includes 1 genus of lepilemurs (thin-bodied lemurs) (lat. Lepilemur), uniting 26 species. Below is a description of several varieties of lemurs.

• Northern slender-bodied lemur ( Lepilemur septentrionalis)

One of the smallest species of the family with a body size of about 28 cm and a tail growing up to 25 cm. The weight of the lemur is no more than 700-800 g. Distinctive feature Representatives of the species have small ears and an almost entirely plant-based diet. These primates have a grayish-brown base coat color, a dark brown crown, a pale brown tail, and a stripe of dark gray fur running from the top of the head and along the back. Northern slender-bodied lemurs eat foliage, flowers and fruits of plants. The lemur's habitat is fragmented in the northernmost part of Madagascar, north of the Irodo (Irudu) River, in forested areas near the villages of Madirube and Ankarungana, which belong to the Sahafari region. Animals are also found near the small mountain range of Andrahuny, which is located 30 km from the capital of the Diana region - in the city of Anceranana, at an altitude of up to 300 m above sea level.

• Small-toothed lemur ( Lepilemur microdon)

It has a size of 25 to 29 cm and a thick tail about 24-30 cm long. The body weight of adult individuals reaches 0.9-1.2 kg. The lemur's fur on its back, shoulders and forearms is colored red-brown, with a strip of dark fur running along its spine. Representatives of the species are solitary nocturnal animals that live in humid tropical forests in southeast Madagascar. The lemur feeds on leaves, flowers and juicy fruits.

Lemur family (Lemuridae)

Includes the most famous and studied species. The size of primates, depending on the species, varies from the size of a large mouse to a big cat. The family includes the most common ring-tailed lemur, the crowned lemur with a characteristic dark marking on its head, as well as vary lemurs - one of the most beautiful primates. Many lemurs are active both day and night, and also spend more time on the ground than members of other families. The family includes 5 genera, including 21 species. Below is a description of several species of lemurs from this family.

• , aka ring-tailed lemur or katta ( Lemur cat a)

The most recognizable member of the family, as well as the only species of the genus Lemur. Some scientists classify the primate as belonging to the genus of common lemurs (Latin: Eulemur) or gentle lemurs (Latin: Hapalemur). The local population calls this primate maki. The size of the ring-tailed lemur really resembles a cat: adult individuals grow to 39-46 cm in length with a body weight of about 2.3-3.5 kg. Their luxurious striped tail reaches a length of 56-63 cm and makes up about 1/3 of their body weight. The lemur's tail is decorated with black and white stripes and is always curved in some kind of spiral, playing a very important communicative role in primate communication, for example, during specific “smelly fights” started by males. Lemurs smear their luxurious tails with odorous secretions from their armpits and point them towards a competitor, thus determining their position in the hierarchy and using them to protect their personal territory from the encroachments of strangers. The legs and back of ring-tailed lemurs are gray in color, but there are individuals with pinkish-brown fur. The head and neck of the animals are intense gray. The belly and limbs are lighter, the muzzle and the inner surface of the legs are pure white. The eyes are surrounded by circles of black wool. The ring-tailed lemur climbs trees less than other representatives of the order, preferring to walk on the ground, which is caused by adaptation to particularly arid biotopes. Ring-tailed lemurs are diurnal and particularly social animals, living in close groups of 20-30 individuals. The diet of these primates consists of various vegetation, including cacti, and small insects (extremely rare). Ring-tailed lemurs are confined to forests and dry, open landscapes in the southern and southwestern parts of the island of Madagascar - from Taolnaro in the southeast to Morondava in the west and north as far as Ambalavao. A small part of individuals lives on the southeastern plateau of the Andringitra granite mountain range, which is located in the Andringitra national park. According to experts, today the population of ring-tailed lemurs numbers about 100 thousand individuals, but due to the extermination of these primates for commercial purposes, the species has been assigned the status of close to vulnerable.

• (lemur macaco) (Eulemur macaco)

A species of primates from the genus of common lemurs, whose representatives are distinguished by a fairly large body, growing from 38 to 45 cm in length. The weight of the lemur is about 2-2.9 kg. The length of the mammal's tail exceeds the length of the body and usually reaches 51-64 cm. These primates have pronounced sexual dimorphism, consisting in body coloring. The fur of males is completely black, but in daylight it is reddish-brown or brown. The back and limbs of females are colored brownish-chestnut, and the belly can be light brown or grayish. The head and muzzle are usually dark gray. Individuals of both sexes have bushy tufts of hair protruding from their ears: females have white tufts, males have black ones. The activity of the black lemur depends on the time of year and the phases of the moon: during drought and during the new moon, animals are especially passive; the peak activity of these primates occurs during the rainy season and the full moon. These are animals that are active during the day and at dusk. The diet of the black lemur also depends on the time of year, and during drought, nectar becomes the main food of the animals. The rest of the time, these primates are omnivores and consume mainly flowers and ripe fruits, as well as insects, their larvae and centipedes. Black lemurs are found in the forests of northwestern Madagascar, as well as on the nearby islands of Nosy Be and Nosy Komba.

• Brown lemur ( Eulemur fulvus)

A species of primate from the genus of common lemurs. This is a fairly large animal, its size is 38-50 cm, tail length is 50-60 cm. The lemur weighs 1.9-4.2 kg. The main color of this primate is brown or grayish-brown, the crown and face are a more intense black-gray color with visible markings above the eyes. The cheeks, chin and ears are gray-brown. The eyes are orange-red. Brown lemurs are social and predominantly diurnal animals, but during periods of drought and the full moon they are active around the clock. Lemurs' food includes ripe fruits, leaves and flowers; to a lesser extent, various invertebrates are eaten. Representatives of the species practice geophagy (earth-eating) and consume red clay, earth and tree bark. Also, the brown lemur is more resistant to toxic substances that enter the body with food than all its relatives. The brown lemur lives in a wide variety of biotopes: lowland and mountain rainforests, arid deciduous and damp evergreens. These primates spend most of their lives in the dense canopy of trees. The habitat of lemurs is in the western part of Madagascar north of the Betsibuka River, as well as in the east - north of the Manguru River. A small population inhabits the island of Mayotte (Maore), but, apparently, brown lemurs were introduced there.

• Blue-eyed lemur, aka Sclater's black lemur ( Eulemur flavifrons)

A representative of the genus of common lemurs with features uncharacteristic for these animals blue eyes. The body length of adult individuals is about 39-45 cm with a weight of 1.8-1.9 kg, the tail grows to 51-65 cm. The blue-eyed lemur is a close relative of the black lemur: males of the species are the same black, and the fur of females is red-brown color. These primates are omnivores and feed on a variety of vegetation, and also do not disdain small insects. The blue-eyed lemur lives in the northwestern part of the island of Madagascar.

• Lemur vari ( Varecia variegata)

One of two species of the genus Varecia, which are the largest and most beautiful extant representatives of the infraorder Lemuridae. The dimensions of an adult lemur are 51-56 cm in length, tail length is 56-65 cm, and weight can reach 3.3-4.5 kg. The thick and fluffy fur of the Var is colored in contrasting black and white tones: the main coat color is white, only the tail, belly and inner surface of the legs are black. The elongated muzzle of the primate is also black, and short light hair grows around the eyes. The animal's muzzle is decorated with a thick, thick beard. white, growing right up to the ears, barely visible from under the thick fur. Interesting feature The species are lemurs that are colored exactly the opposite: these are black individuals with white legs, tail and belly. The black-and-white ruffed lemur leads a predominantly arboreal lifestyle in rain forests, where it feeds on a variety of vegetation. Vary lemurs live in the eastern part of the island of Madagascar, located no higher than 1200 m above sea level.

• Red vari ( Varecia rubra)

The second species of the genus Vari, with the same large body up to 50 cm long and a luxurious tail growing up to 60 cm in length. The red lemur weighs about 3-4 kg. Females are usually slightly larger than males. The body of the red vary is distinguished by thick red fur, and the head, tail, abdomen and tips of the legs are colored black. Lemurs live in tropical rainforests, where they feed on young shoots, leaves and fruits of plants. They lead a predominantly diurnal, arboreal lifestyle. A distinctive feature of both types of lemurs is multiple births, which is uncharacteristic of other lemurs. Females of these primates are capable of bearing 5-6 cubs, although usually 2-3 are born. These animals inhabit a small area of ​​about 4 thousand km2 exclusively in the Masoala National Park, located in the northeastern part of Madagascar.

Indriidae family

Includes animals that vary significantly in size: the smallest members of the family, avagis, or woolly lemurs, barely grow to 30 cm, and the largest lemur, the short-tailed indri, can reach a length of 70 cm. A distinctive feature of the indriids is their muzzle, completely devoid of hair. cover. Among the indriids there are both diurnal and nocturnal animals, in any case spending most of their time in trees. The family consists of 3 genera, which include 19 species, some of which are described below.

• Indri, aka short-tailed indri or babakoto (Indri indr i)

The only representative of the Indri genus (Latin Indri) and the most big lemur in the world. The size of adult individuals is about 50-70 cm with a body weight of 6 to 7.5 kg. Compared to other lemurs, the babakoto's tail is very short and barely grows to 4-5 cm. The primates' muzzle is practically devoid of vegetation, but their ears are large and shaggy. Thanks to its elongated muzzle, slightly reminiscent of a dog, and its voice, reminiscent of a dog's bark, the indri was nicknamed the forest dog by the island population. The fur color of the indri lemur is represented by a combination of black, white and gray: the head, back and ears are usually black in all individuals, but the lemurs of the southern population are light in color, and the inhabitants of the north of the range are much darker. Indris are predominantly arboreal primates and the most diurnal of all lemurs, preferring to sunbathe while reclining on tree branches or sitting on the ground with their front legs extended towards the sun. Indri lemurs feed mainly on tree leaves; animals consume fruits and flowers to a lesser extent. Periodically, lemurs eat the ground, which helps digest toxins entering the body from foliage poisonous plants. Indris are common in rain forests located no higher than 1800 m above sea level, in the northeastern regions of the island of Madagascar.

• Sifaka Verro, aka crested sifaka or crested indri ( Propithecus verreauxi)

This is a lemur from the genus Sifaka (propithecus, crested indri) (lat. Propithecus). The length of an adult can reach 42-45 cm (excluding the tail), the weight of females is about 3.4 kg, male lemurs usually weigh about 3.6 kg. The fluffy tail of Verreaux's sifaka reaches a length of 56-60 cm. These primates have a flattened skull and a particularly short and wide muzzle, and their sternum is much wider than that of other lemurs. The hind limbs of the mammal are much longer than the front ones; animals move vertically on the ground. Verreaux's sifaka lemur is distinguished by its overall white fur coloration with darker areas on the head, sides and forelimbs. These mammals are active during the day and lead an arboreal lifestyle, living in both wet and dry forests across a large area of ​​the island of Madagascar. Animals feed mainly on low-tannin leaves, flowers, ripe fruits and tree bark.

Family Archaeolemuridae(is extinct)

Megaladapis family(is extinct)

Family Paleopropithecus(is extinct)

Lemur lifestyle

Lemurs spend the main part of their lives in trees, deftly and quickly climbing from branch to branch, using their a long tail. Although there are species that spend a lot of time on the ground (ring-tailed lemur, ruffed lemur, red-bellied lemur). Primates lie in the branches of trees, basking in the sun, and set up their lairs, where they rest and breed. Jumping from tree to tree, lemurs are able to cover considerable distances. For example, the jump of a Verreaux sifaka is about 9-10 meters. On the ground, these wet-nosed primates also move by jumping, using 4 or less often 2 limbs, which depends on the type of animal.

Most species of lemurs are social and territorial animals, living in family groups of 3 to 20-30 individuals, where a strict hierarchy is established. In almost all lemurs, the female is dominant in a flock; she has an advantage in terms of food and the right to choose a partner in mating season. The flock consists of males and females in approximately equal numbers, but young females, having become sexually mature, usually do not leave the mother flock, but males often go to other groups. However, even among representatives of the most social lemur family, some individuals lead a solitary lifestyle, others live in pairs or form large family groups.

Typically, a family owns a territory ranging from 6 to 80 hectares, carefully marked with secretions and urine. Members of the herd jealously and aggressively protect their possessions from the encroachments of strangers and walk around the territory every day in search of food. Both females and males engage in marking of areas: the animals scratch the tree bark with their sharp nails and smear the trees or soil with the odorous secretion of the glands.

Primates communicate with each other using grunting or purring sounds, and sometimes screaming shrilly. During the dry season, some species of lemurs (for example, dwarf lemurs) fall into torpor. During this period, they do not eat, but at the same time their body uses up the fat stored for such cases.

How does a lemur sleep?

Crepuscular species of lemurs feed at night and sleep during the day among the foliage or in their hiding places, curled up into a ball. Often 10-15 individuals sleep in tree hollows at once. Some lemurs (for example, the short-tailed indri or Verreaux's sifaka) like to sleep directly on a branch, tightly grasping it with their forelimbs and feet, lowering their head between their knees, and wrapping their tail around their body.

What do lemurs eat?

The lemur is primarily a herbivore, but food depends on the type of primate. Most of the animals' diet consists of tree leaves and ripe fruits, such as figs and bananas, as well as flowers, young shoots, seeds and tree bark. The golden lemur and the great bamboo lemur feed on the leaves and shoots of the giant bamboo. Although it should be noted that the pulp, leaves and young shoots of bamboo are also eaten by some other species of these animals, for example, gentle lemurs, which, by the way, feed only on this plant. Ring-tailed lemurs are very fond of the fruits of the Indian tamarind (Indian date). Indris and sifakas prefer exclusively plant foods. Madagascar bats eat insect larvae and fruits (mangoes, coconuts). Nectar, resin, pollen and plant juices play an important role in the diet of dwarf lemurs; they also feed on small insects, their larvae and secretions. But still, insects and invertebrates are of secondary importance for many species of lemurs.

Among insects, animals mainly hunt beetles, and also eat praying mantises, moths, lanternflies, crickets, spiders, and cockroaches. Some species, such as the gray mouse lemur, eat small vertebrates: tree frogs and chameleons. The Cockerel's dwarf lemur also eats small birds and their eggs. And representatives of the Indriaceae family, in addition to plant foods, eat earth, which neutralizes the toxic substances of plants.

Lemurs compensate for their not particularly nutritious diet with long periods of rest. However, these primates are omnivores and in zoos they quickly become accustomed to any diet. They grab food with their teeth or take it with their front paws and put it in their mouth.

Lemur breeding

The rut of each species of lemur is confined to a specific season. For example, the mating season of dwarf lemurs lasts from December to May, indrius lemurs breed in the spring, lepilemurs - from May to August. Small species of lemurs reach sexual maturity at the age of 1.5 years, and female indris mature only at 4-5 years. The mating behavior of most lemurs consists of loud screams and touching their partner.

Representatives of the Indriidae family form strong monogamous pairs, and only in the event of the death of the male does the female find another partner. In other families, gender relationships are both monogamous and polygamous.

Typically, female lemurs give birth to offspring once a year, only Madagascar bats reproduce extremely slowly and give birth once every 2-3 years. Length of pregnancy different types Lemur life varies greatly and averages from 2 months (in the smallest species) to 5-6 months (in large species). Usually 1-2 cubs are born, and only lemurs are capable of producing offspring in quantities of up to 4-6 cubs. Lemur cubs are born blind, but open their eyes on the second day.

The weight of newborn dwarf lemurs is only 3-5 grams; in larger species, the weight of cubs at birth ranges from 80 to 120 grams. As soon as they are born, small, gentle lemurs hang on the mother’s belly, grabbing her fur with tenacious limbs, or the female can carry her cubs in her mouth. Baby mouse lemurs spend the first 2-3 weeks in nests or tree holes. The cubs of ring-tailed and common lemurs climb onto the back of the mother, who carries them on herself.

Other species (for example, the moth) do not climb onto the mother’s back, but remain in the nest under the supervision of the father. In some species, two-month-old cubs already make short forays from the nest, returning to their mother only to eat and sleep. Milk feeding lasts up to 4-5 months, then the baby lemur is weaned and becomes independent.

Taken from the site: goodnewsanimal.ru

How long do lemurs live?

The exact lifespan of some species of lemurs in nature has not yet been clarified, but on average, lemurs live about 20 years. Ring-tailed lemurs are long-livers, capable of living from 34 to 37 years.

Enemies of lemurs in nature

Despite their sufficient agility and the fact that lemurs spend most of their time in the canopy of trees, they often become prey to predators. The main enemies of lemurs in their natural habitat are owls (Madagascar long-eared owl and barn owl), hawks, civets, snakes, for example, the Madagascar tree boa. Lemurs are also hunted by predatory mammals, such as ring-tailed and narrow-striped mungos, as well as fossa - endemic representatives of the Madagascar civet family; lemurs are often attacked by domestic dogs and mongooses. According to statistics, every year about 25% of mouse lemurs die from attacks by predators (among other species this figure is lower), however, such population losses are very quickly restored due to the rapid reproduction of these primates.

Conservation status of lemurs

Currently, all lemurs are assigned protective status, most of them are considered endangered species. Some species, notably the northern slender-bodied lemur, are included in the list of the 25 most vulnerable primates. Selected species lemur-like species are being exterminated for commercial purposes, while others are suffering due to intensive deforestation of tropical forests.

Lemur at home: maintenance and care

Lemurs are quite easy to tame, they are not aggressive and docile, so they often become pets among connoisseurs of exotic animals. In order for a lemur to feel as comfortable as possible in captivity (in an apartment or a house), he needs to be provided proper care. Before getting a lemur, you should definitely study the information on how to properly care for this animal and what to feed it.

The cage or terrarium for the lemur must be spacious, because in the new home you will have to place tree branches or even hang artificial vines on which the animal will happily climb. The bottom of the cage or terrarium should be covered with sawdust, which must be replaced periodically, since it will not be possible to train a lemur to a tray, and in the absence of regular cleaning in its housing, the cage and the animal itself will smell unpleasant. In the lemur’s house, you can build some semblance of a separate “bedroom” in the form of a box, lined with well-dried hay or natural cotton wool - in this place the animal will rest and can hide if it wants to be alone. There must be a container of drinking water in the lemur's home. Despite their thick fur, lemurs are heat-loving and cannot tolerate drafts at all: take care of this when you choose a place to install your pet’s house.

What to feed your pet lemur?

Typically, lemurs are awake in the evening and all night, so they should be fed at this time. Do not be alarmed if the animal refuses to eat during the day and, especially, do not try to force feed it. The lemur's diet can include quite a variety of products of animal and plant origin. Here's what you can feed your lemur at home:

• boiled beets and potatoes;
• steamed white and cauliflower;
• lettuce and sorrel;
• cucumbers, turnips, carrots, radishes;
• various fruits, including citrus fruits;
• cereal porridges without adding oil;
• cottage cheese and hard-boiled or raw eggs;
• boiled meat and fish (not bony);
• bread (both white and black);
• milk and even kefir (occasionally and in small quantities).

Lemurs have a big sweet tooth, so the diet can be supplemented with boiled dried fruits, nuts and honey, which is dissolved in a bowl of drinking water. Lemurs eagerly eat all kinds of living creatures: crickets, cockroaches, mealworms, and will not refuse newborn mice. Such delicacies can be purchased at pet stores.

Compatibility of the lemur with other pets

The lemur is a completely non-conflict animal and gets along very easily with cats, dogs and other domestic inhabitants. Unlike other primates, lemurs do not crush, gnaw or break anything if they find themselves outside their house. The only problem may arise with curtains and window curtains: lemurs love to climb to great heights with the help of tenacious fingers and watch what is happening from there.

With proper care in captivity, a lemur can live for about 20 years, delighting owners with its interesting behavior and unusual appearance.

Taken from: abc7chicago.com

• The vocal range of lemurs includes 12 different sounds with which these primates communicate with each other, with some sounds propagating at the ultrasound level. For example, at dawn a pair of indris starts a special song that can be heard at a distance of up to 2 km.
• Females and males of some lemur species often offer hygiene services to each other in return for some kind of reciprocal favor, such as similar fur cleaning. And during the mating season, mating is offered as a reward for cleaning the fur.
• The Malagasy people (the main population of the Republic of Madagascar) still have a superstitious fear of lemurs, especially the lemur. According to the aborigines, a person who kills this primate will certainly die within a year. Scientists still do not know what the name of the little arm sounds in the local dialect, because it is never pronounced out loud.
• In the popular cartoons “Madagascar” and “Penguins of Madagascar”, a little hand named Maurice is one of the most striking characters.
• At home, they mainly keep other wet-nosed primates from the infraorder Lorisiformes. Lemurs are tropical inhabitants, so it is quite difficult to create suitable conditions for animals in an apartment. These primates are sensitive to drafts and quickly catch colds. In addition, the lemur's diet must be strictly balanced: animals are susceptible allergic reactions and gastrointestinal diseases.

Lemurs are mammals belonging to the infraorder Lemuridae.

The latter has 101 species, all animals are united into 5 families, each of which has General characteristics and its own characteristics.

In the photo of the lemur you can see a medium-sized primate.

The smallest representative of lemurs is the dwarf mouse lemur. The weight of the animal can reach up to 50 g, and the body size with tail does not exceed 22 cm.

Rat lemur

Extinct lemurs were found in Madagascar that weighed approximately 200 kg. Today, the short-tailed indri is recognized as the largest lemur.

The body length varies from 50 to 70 cm. The weight of the largest primates is 7.5 kg.

Description of representatives of the lemur family

Primates have a dense and long body, the size of the head is small, with a rounded or flattened shape. The muzzle resembles a fox, it is pointed and elongated. Animals have 4 or 5 groups of vibrissae, which they need for touch.

Those around him are captivated by the lemur’s large eyes, close-set and saucer-like. They showed a wary expression of curiosity.

Nocturnal primates have wider eye orbits than diurnal primates. The eyes of animals can be different, even a blue-eyed lemur is found.

The animal lemur has widely spaced incisors and lower incisors adjacent to the fangs. All limbs have 5 fingers on which nails grow. But there are some exceptions - there is a long claw on the second toe.

The Madagascar monkey does not have this characteristic. Lemurs need their nails to comb their fur.

As for the Madagascar bat, the fingers of its limbs are equipped with claws, and its nails are located only on the big toes.

An attractive feature of primates is their gorgeous tail. It can be longer than the body.

Lemurs communicate with each other using their tail. It allows animals to maintain balance when they jump from one branch to another. The short-tailed indri has the smallest tail, its length is only 3-5 cm.

Coat color varies, with individuals having red fur or bright white fur.

There are species with a protective gray-brown color.

Particularly noteworthy is the ring-tailed lemur - its tail, curved in a spiral, is decorated with wide stripes of black and white.

Lemur Habitat

Millions of years ago, lemurs lived in Africa, but 165 million years BC. e. a break occurred. After this, representatives of the population ended up in Madagascar and the islands that are located next to it.

The places where the lemur lives in the wild are considered a unique zone. Animals have adapted to all biotopes in Madagascar and the Comoros Islands.

Discussions regarding the classification of lemurs

On this moment the final classification has not yet been determined.

Loris are considered by some to be lemurs, but this opinion may not be accurate.

Loriformes, according to most scientists, rather represent a separate infraorder.

Lemur families

The Madagascar bat is the only species of the bat family. The nocturnal lifestyle of the lemur and its appearance give every reason to compare the animal with a night spirit.

There are 5 genera and 34 species in the family of dwarf primates. All animals resemble mice or rats.

Miniature representatives of lemurs are active at night.

The slender-bodied lemur family includes animals with a slender build. It includes 1 genus and 26 species. Weight Limit the body weight of an individual is 1.2 kg. These primates are characterized by a nocturnal lifestyle.

The lemur family is represented by species that are the most studied.

These include the most beautiful primates - the ring-tailed lemur with stripes on its tail, the crowned lemur with a dark mark on its head, and the ruffed lemur. There are 5 rods and 21 species in this family.

In the Indriaceae family you can find both small and large representatives.

For example: avagis are less than 30 cm, and the short-tailed indri grows up to 70 cm. A peculiarity of animals from this family is the absence of hair on the face.

How does a lemur spend its life?

Mostly primates live in trees. However, there are species that descend to the ground and stay there for quite a long time.

Most lemurs are social or territorial animals. They live in family groups, each of which can number from 3 to 30 individuals.

When communicating with each other, they use sounds similar to grunting or purring. They sleep in trees and eat plant foods.

Each species of lemur has its own mating season. At this time, you can hear animals screaming loudly. Females give birth to offspring every year, except for the Madagascar bat, which gives birth once every 2 or 3 years.

The lemur is easy to train: the animal does not have an aggressive character. An obedient primate needs comfortable living conditions. He needs a spacious cage with branches or vines for him to climb.

A domestic lemur needs a house with a bedroom. There should always be fresh drinking water in his home. The diet includes plant foods and animal products.

Lemur photo

The world is full of amazing creatures, some of them are well-known and common, others live in certain places and are rarely seen. Lemurs are a suborder of primates found almost exclusively on the island of Madagascar. Nature rewarded them with a fluffy tail and large, round eyes. Here's 30 interesting facts, which you may not have known about these cute and fluffy animals.

Facts about Madagascar

Lemurs have always lived in Madagascar.

Previously, they lived on the African continent, but could not cope with the competition of monkeys.

Madagascar, home to lemurs, is the fourth largest island in the world.

When Madagascar broke away from the continent, lemurs reached the island on a drifting tree.

Appearance of lemurs

The smallest species are called pygmy or dwarf mouse lemurs and weigh about 30 grams.

Lemurs' nails are flat, like those of humans.

To enhance their scent, they use their tail as a fan when communicating.

The tail of lemurs is longer than their body and, in addition to communication, is used to maintain balance.

Lemurs use the second toe of their hind legs for grooming.

A two-year-old lemur is already considered an adult, although few of the cubs survive to this age.

Of all the primates, lemurs are the most different from humans.

The smallest lemur weighs 30 grams, and the largest can reach almost 8 kg.

Blue-eyed lemurs are one of two species of primates whose eyes are truly blue.

Lemur life

Lemurs eat mainly fruits and leaves; their favorite delicacy is Indian dates.

They can eat flowers, insects, grass, as well as bark and rotten wood.

In the morning, whole colonies of lemurs sunbathe in the sun.

They communicate using smells.

If the lemur feels threatened, it attacks the enemy with its short nails.

When there is not enough food around, they may hibernate for a short time.

The olfactory glands are located on the wrists of lemurs.

When fighting among themselves for the female, lemurs try to drive away the enemy with a strong scent, which they apply to their tail with the help of their wrists, after which they wave it furiously.

These animals adapt well to different conditions; they are able to slow down the metabolism in their body and not even give birth to cubs if circumstances do not allow.

Lemurs spend most of their lives in trees.

Because of this, their gait is very funny - when moving on land, the animal raises its front legs up and makes wave-like movements.

A few more interesting facts

The species name comes from the Latin word lemures, meaning “night ghosts.”

The ring-tailed lemur, or catta, spends more time on the ground than other subspecies.

Lemurs belong to the order of wet-nosed primates.

Unfortunately, aye-ayes often fall into traps and are considered "evil spirits" by local residents.

Unlike other animals, lemurs do very well in captivity.

The lifespan of lemurs is on average 16 to 18 years.