Scientific Classification

Common Name

red ruffed lemur

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Primates

Family

Lemuridae

Genus Species

Varecia variegata (variegated) ruba (red)

Fast Facts

Description

Active, tree dwelling primates with cat-like nose and whiskers; fur is soft and coloration is reddish brown with black markings.

Size

Head and body length: 47.5 to 50 cm (19 to 20 in.)
Tail length: 59 cm (23.6 in.)

Weight

3.6 to 4.5 kg (8 to 10 lbs.)

Diet

Predominantly vegetation such as flowers, fruit, seeds, nectar, and leaves

Incubation

90 to 102 days; usually 3 offspring, up to 6

Sexual Maturity

20 months

Life Span

18 years or older

Range

Eastern Madagascar, within the Masoala Penisula east of the Antainambalana River

Habitat

Tropical rainforest

Population

Global: Unknown

Status 

IUCN: Not listed
CITES: Appendix I
USFWS: Endangered

Fun Facts

1. Lemurs are also called prosimians, which means "before apes". They have primitive primate features such as a small brain case and a prominent nose.
2. Lemurs rely on their sense of smell as a way of communicating with other animals. They have special scent glands on their wrists and bottoms that leave scent trails on branches to mark their territories.
3. A lemur's soft, broad fingers and toes have flat nails that allow it to grip objects and groom other lemurs.
4. These prosimians are quite social and the groups have clearly defined male and female hierarchies. Most communities number 2–5 individuals.
5. A female lemur carries her newborn to a new nest site in her mouth.
6. The lemur's thick bushy tail serves as a visual signal when it is threatened or as a balancing tool when it leaps through the trees.
7. Red-ruffed lemurs are able to pursue sitting birds of prey as well as some terrestrial carnivores in order to distract them from a lemur nest near by.

Ecology and Conservation

Lemurs fill an important ecological role of Madagascar. These primates often feed on an assortment of seasonal fruits and as they travel throughout their environment, they disperse undigested seeds in their manure. The seeds soon sprout to replenish the vegetation that sustains Madagascar's unique inhabitants. This is very important on an island where over 80% of the original habitats have been lost to logging and agriculture. The Malagasy people struggle to save their country's dwindling biodiversity. They maintain national parks to protect wildlife, support the ecotourism industry, and search for less damaging methods of farming.

Bibliography

Burton, J. (ed.). The Atlas of Endangered Species. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1991.

Macdonald, D.(ed.). The Encyclopedia of Mammals. Vol 1. London: Equinox Ltd., 1984.

Nowak, R. Walker's Mammals of the World. Vol 1. London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991.

Preston-Mafham, Ken. Madagascar: A Natural History. Oxford: Ken Preston-Mafham, 1991.

Preston-Mafham, Rod and Ken. Primates of the World. Sterling Pub., New York.1999.

Rowe, Noel. 1996. The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates. Pogonios Press, NY.

Tattersall, Ian. The Primates of Madagascar. New York: Columbia University Press, 1982.