There is no mistaking ring-tailed lemurs with their iconic stripy tails and bright orange eyes!
Ring-tailed lemurs are extremely agile, social animals which spend a lot of their time grooming each other. Their long, striped tails exceed the length of their body and help them keep their balance while moving around the forest – they also hold their tails in the air to make sure they don’t lose sight of each other!
Native to Madagascar, they live in groups communicating through loud distinctive calls which they use to warn of potential danger. Their opposable thumbs come in handy when navigating the forest helping them to grip branches and grab objects with ease.
During mating season, the females mate with several males and come into season on different days. This staggers their receptiveness to the males and ensures all the females have a good chance of successfully breeding.
Scent glands on males’ wrists mark their territory and are also used to have stink fights when competing for a female!
We’re working to protect wild lemur populations in Madagascar!
Most lemur species in Madagascar are facing severe population declines due to habitat loss and agriculture. We’re working in Mangabe New Protected Area to help protect these populations.
OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS WORK IN SIX REGIONS AROUND THE GLOBE – REPRESENTING SOME OF THE PLANET’S MOST BIODIVERSE HABITATS. Discover more about our SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION work.