Basic Facts About Ring-Tailed Lemurs
Ring-tailed lemurs have coats of soft, thick, woolly fur. The fur on their body is brownish gray and their tails are ringed with white and black fur. Ring-tailed lemurs have leather-like pads on the bottoms of their feet that help them keep their grip on slippery surfaces. Their hind legs are longer than their forelegs.
Ring-tailed lemurs eat fruits, leaves, and occasionally insects.
Did You Know?
In captivity, ring-tailed lemurs can reach 30 years old.
Ring-tailed lemurs occur in southern Madagascar, an island off the coast of southeastern Africa.
Although they are sometimes active at night, ring-tailed lemurs are primarily diurnal, meaning they are most active during the day. Lemurs live together in groups of approximately five to 22. There is no fixed leader in these groups, but the females dominate over the males. Each group has a fixed territory, and the territories of different groups do not overlap.
Threats to Ring-Tailed Lemurs
Ring-tailed lemurs inhabit highland country and thinly wooded forests that are disappearing because of fires, overgrazing of domestic livestock and logging. Ring-tailed lemurs are also threatened by hunting.