Scientific Name:
Lemur catta
Distribution
South and Southwestern Madagascar.
Diet:
Mainly herbivore. Mainly fruits, leaves, flowers, herbs and bark, but also big insects and ever small vertebrates such as lizards.
Facts
Habitat: Various forest types, brushlands
Dimensions: 39-46cm
Weight: ~2.2kg
Gestation: 138-141 days, 1-3 young
Lifespan: ~27
Social structure: Multi-sex groups of 6-30 individuals with the females being dominant over males.
Estimated population in the wild: >1000
IUCN Status: Endangered
Threats: Deforestation to create grazing pastures and for charcoal production, hunting for food or for the pet trade.
Did you know that:
- The name ‘lemur’ comes from the Latin word for ‘ghost’ or ‘spirit’. The word "catta" refers to their cat-like features.
- They can often be seen sunning themselves by sitting in a yoga-like position, exposing their undersides to the sun.
- Males compete for females via 'stink fights', smearing scent on their tails from special glands and wafting the smell towards their opponent.
- Due to the treats they face in the wild, there are now fewer individuals in the wild than in zoos.