The Ring-tailed lemur is one of the most distinctive species of lemurs. The Ring Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) is a small African primate featured in the Standard Edition of Planet Zoo. The principal threats to the ring-tailed lemur include: Habitat Loss. Ring-Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) Endangered; Native only to Madagascar; Highly social animals, living in troops of up to 30 lemurs; Threatened by habitat destruction, bushmeat hunting, and exotic pet trade They are also hunted in parts of their range and are frequently taken as pets. Lemurs tend to move on all fours, and their hands and feet are tailor-made for life in the trees. The ring tailed lemur is endangered in the wild but as they breed so well in captivity there are lots in zoos. The ring-tailed lemur is the most terrestrial, spending up to 33% of its time on the rainforest floor. The muzzle has touch-sensitive vibrissae (whiskers) and the nose is a bare, wet rhinarium. RING-TAILED LEMUR Lemur Habitat Loss by: AMBER WALKER-BOLTON 05.2019. Age They share a common ancestry with Africa’s monkeys and apes, but were isolated from those species probably 50 million years ago when Madagascar separated from the African continent. These beautiful primates are just one species of lemur. The main threat to their population is habitat destruction. Ring-tailed lemurs have some predators – Madagascar’s largest carnivore, the fossa, being one – but the greatest threat to their survival is habitat loss. However, it is thought that the Ring-tailed Lemur needs primary forest (undisturbed) in order to survive. However, the ring-tailed lemur is popular in zoos, and they do comparatively well in captivity and reproduce regularly. The ring-tailed lemur, however, spends a good portion of its day on the ground. Slash-and-burn agriculture in their natural habitat, known as “tavy”, and the cutting and burning of forests for charcoal is the main cause of habitat loss. The “ true lemurs” (family Lemuridae) include five genera and about 20 species. The Lemur or Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur Catta) is a large prosimian (representing forms that were ancestral to monkeys, apes and humans), belonging to the family Lemuridae’.. Like all other lemurs, it is found only on the island of Madagascar and the … Decaying wood, earth, spider webs, insect small vertebrates, birds, cocoons, arthropods, spiders, shrimps, cicadas, grasshoppers, and squirrels are their usual food. Although many animals exhibit this behavior, it is a rare trait among primates. Habitat and Distribution. The alpha female lives in one group for the entirety of her life, while males migrate from group to group. Fluffy fur and big, reflective eyes, what’s not to love about Madagascar’s over 100 lemur species and subspecies? The illegal pet trade is also a major threat with people accepting money to … Limits to lifespan in the wild include habitat loss and limited resources. One major threat to the ring-tailed lemur population is habitat loss due to agriculture and livestock grazing. Ring-tailed lemur backs are gray to rosy brown with gray limbs and dark gray heads and necks. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND BEHAVIOR Lemur catta. True to their name, ring-tailed lemurs' tails are ringed with 13 alternating black and white bands. They enjoy hot areas and they will stick to them as long as they are able to find enough food in those areas. The ring-tailed lemur is the most intensively studied of all lemur taxa. Greater bamboo or broad-nosed gentle lemur (Prolemur simus): This is one of the largest lemurs, and it mainly feeds on bamboo. Ring-tailed groups are larger than any other lemur group, ranging from 6 to 30 animals, but average about 17. The pads on their hands and feet help lemurs stick when they jump onto something. Ring-tailed lemurs are also hunted for food and sold in the pet trade. Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta): This is the most distinctive lemur of them all, recognizable for its tail with rings of gray and black. With their unique black and white striped tails, they are not confusable with any other type of lemur. Ring-tailed Lemur Lemur catta. Diet and Feeding Habits Ring-tailed lemurs eat from nearly three dozen different plant species, and their diet includes flowers, herbs, bark, and sap. Rainforest Lemur. The ring-tailed lemur is found in a several protected areas across its range, including six national parks, and several areas of sacred forest. Illegal logging is a serious problem in Madagascar. Like all lemurs, the ring-tailed lemur is native only to Madagascar, they are found in southern and southwestern Madagascar and ranging further into highland areas than other lemurs. The ring-tailed lemur is the best known of all lemur species, notorious for its black and white striped tail. Much of their habitat is being converted to farmland or burned for the production of charcoal. It inhabits the southwest corner of Madagascar in a broad range of forests and canyons and can tolerate the most extreme environments of any species of lemur. Ring-tailed lemur diet controls their habit and habitat. The ring-tailed lemur engages in "stink fights" by rubbing its tail across scent glands on its wrists, and then flicking its tail at other male opponents. Its tail – 60cm long and ringed in black and white – is longer than its body. The Ring-tailed lemur, Lemur catta, is one of twenty-two species of lemurs. Habitat and Distribution. It is unique both in its habitat (some dry and rocky areas of Madagascar) … The ring-tailed lemur is listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 2018), appearing on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The conservation status of the Ring-Tailed Lemur is classified as not evaluated. Ring-Tailed Lemur Class: Mammalia Photo courtesy of Tony Wisneski Habitat • In the Wild: Although widely distributed throughout the dry forests of southwestern Madagascar (some of the hottest, driest and least hospitable forests in the country), Lemur catta exists in only a few protected areas. Conservation status Endangered (IUCN Red List, 2019) Family Lemuridae. Cat-sized, the very long tail is the Ring-Tail’s most distinctive feature, carried straight up with a cane-crook at the tip. Some lemurs defecate in specific areas, otherwise known as latrine behavior. Each troop has a circumscribed core area or territory, marked by genital marks and by the wrist-spurs of the males. Threats. The rest of the time they can be found in the mid or upper level canopies of the forest. Unlike most of the lemur species, ring-tailed ones spend a lot of time on the ground, instead of in the trees. They have white bellies. Ring-tailed lemurs are considered endangered by the IUCN Red List. It is brown in color and has small ears. Both sexes live in troops, but a dominant female presides over all. Ring-tailed lemurs exhibit female philopatry and the core of the social group … Even though the ring-tailed lemur is more flexible in its choice of habitat and occupies a larger range than other lemurs, the patchiness of its distribution has made the species particularly vulnerable to threats. Ring-tailed lemurs are endangered. These troops consist of 6-30 individuals and the leader is a dominant female.