Madagascar is a place full of unusual animals and plants. The rich biodiversity allows them to live and reproduce in their ecosystem. One of the rarest animals you can find here are the ring-tailed lemurs.
These are warm-blooded animals that you can easily recognize because of their black and white ringed tail that usually measures up to 22 to 25 inches long, while its body measures 15 to 18 inches.
Its total body length ranges from 37 to 43 inches and it has an average weight of 2.2 kilograms. This primate is also very different from related mammals because its groups are led by females. Yes, females are more dominant among ring-tailed lemurs and even in fights, they are the ones who lead the group.
Because they are primarily female-dominant, they have a warm relationship with group members. They cuddle around forming lemur balls. There are also many different kinds of lemurs, but this one is significantly different because it lives on the ground too. Unlike others that are used to staying on trees, the ring-tailed lemurs are the most terrestrial of their kind. They prefer to stay on land, spiny forest, and dry scrubs most of the time to maximize their territory and food resources.
They also have nocturnal habits – they can move without noise during the night and they have good night vision. It is one of the probable reasons why they are called lemurs, from the word lemures which was used in mythology to refer to ghosts or specters. On the other hand, its scientific name is Lemur Catta – it is named in such way because it also resembles cats and it has cat-like purrs. In Malagasy, it is known as Maky or Hira.
Its total body length ranges from 37 to 43 inches and it has an average weight of 2.2 kilograms. This primate is also very different from related mammals because its groups are led by females. Yes, females are more dominant among ring-tailed lemurs and even in fights, they are the ones who lead the group.
Because they are primarily female-dominant, they have a warm relationship with group members. They cuddle around forming lemur balls. There are also many different kinds of lemurs, but this one is significantly different because it lives on the ground too. Unlike others that are used to staying on trees, the ring-tailed lemurs are the most terrestrial of their kind. They prefer to stay on land, spiny forest, and dry scrubs most of the time to maximize their territory and food resources.
They also have nocturnal habits – they can move without noise during the night and they have good night vision. It is one of the probable reasons why they are called lemurs, from the word lemures which was used in mythology to refer to ghosts or specters. On the other hand, its scientific name is Lemur Catta – it is named in such way because it also resembles cats and it has cat-like purrs. In Malagasy, it is known as Maky or Hira.
During drought periods, ring-tailed lemurs still survive because they eat the leaves of cactus and other spiny plants that survive during this season. It is because it has footpads that enable them to walk around these plants. In terms of communicating with their group, they usually raise their tails to signal their location. They also have specific calls or sounds as signal that a predator is coming. They use different signals for different predators. Ring-tailed lemurs also use their scent to mark a spot that they passed so that they can be tracked by others too. They also love sunbathing.
But as much as lemurs love to play around, they also fight with other groups. Sparring is only between two lemurs and is considered as a minor flare-up to check who is dominant. On the other hand, mobbing is a more serious fight between groups or another predator. They also fight using their smell – called stink fights. This involves only male ring-tail lemurs. But the most serious kind of fight they do are jump fights, wherein they jump downward and slash their opponents with their upper canine teeth.
However, ring-tailed lemurs are becoming extinct now. Though they are the most populous of all lemurs having 2000 individuals, their species are decreasing due to habitat loss and relentless hunting. Lemurs only reproduce one or two offspring, and their lifespan is 16 to 19 years, so its population will most likely increase for only a few percent every year.
But almost 20% of its population was already gone in the past decade and it is possible that it will continuously decrease if people will not take good care of them.
But as much as lemurs love to play around, they also fight with other groups. Sparring is only between two lemurs and is considered as a minor flare-up to check who is dominant. On the other hand, mobbing is a more serious fight between groups or another predator. They also fight using their smell – called stink fights. This involves only male ring-tail lemurs. But the most serious kind of fight they do are jump fights, wherein they jump downward and slash their opponents with their upper canine teeth.
However, ring-tailed lemurs are becoming extinct now. Though they are the most populous of all lemurs having 2000 individuals, their species are decreasing due to habitat loss and relentless hunting. Lemurs only reproduce one or two offspring, and their lifespan is 16 to 19 years, so its population will most likely increase for only a few percent every year.
But almost 20% of its population was already gone in the past decade and it is possible that it will continuously decrease if people will not take good care of them.
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