Home>Animals>Zoo Animals>Primates>black_and_white_ruffed_lemur

::

Zoo Animals

Mammals (non primates)

Primates

Birds and Fish

Reptiles and Amphibians

Natives

::

Animal Habitats

::

Adopt an Animal

Name || Black and White Ruffed Lemur

Scientific Name || Varieca variegata variegata

Conservation Status || Endangered

Habitat || Only found in undisturbed primary rainforests of Madagascar

Unique Features || Lemurs have the opposable thumbs which is unique to the primate family. Black and white ruffed lemurs have a ruff or collar of long, thick white hair around their ears. Social Behaviour || Social structure varies. Groups may consist of one female and one male, or multi-male and multi-female communities. Females form the core of the group and defend the territory. Diet || The Ruffed Lemur's diet consists mainly of sweet fruits, leaves, nectar and seeds. Lemurs have also been known to eat insects, small birds, birds' eggs and, occasionally, small mammals. Reproduction || Mating season runs from May to July followed by a three month gestation. Most births are twins. Until the babies are a week old, they are left in a nest made from leaves and twigs or in a tree hole. After a week the parents carry them in their mouths, unlike any of the other primates. Life Cycle || Lemurs reach sexual maturity at around 20 months. Their average lifespan is around 19 years. Relatives || Black and white ruffed lemurs are closely related to all the other species of lemur, all of which are found only in Madagascar. Interesting Facts :   In the north of Madagascar, the black and white ruffed lemurs have more black fur than those from the south.   Lemurs often hang upside down by their feet to feed.   During the day the ruffed lemur sleeps in a hollow tree curled up into a ball. It is a nimble climber, most active at dusk and during the first part of the night, when it forages for fruit.   It normally progresses by walking or running on larger branches, and leaps from tree to tree. It rarely descends to the ground.   Females are generally the dominant sex - they get the best choices of food, defend the group and choose whom they mate with.   Madagascar natives once believed that the black and white lemurs worshipped the sun because they often sunbathe.   Lemurs make a range of noises, including a loud alarm bark that sounds like dogs fighting.   Breeding Programme || There is a regional breeding programme in place for the Black and White Ruffed lemur. Environmental Conditions || It is estimated that around 17 species of lemur are already extinct, and all of the remaining species are considered endangered. Since they eat fruit from large, well established trees, they are seriously threatened by selective logging as the large trees are the first to be cut. They are also very heavily hunted and trapped by the Malagasy people as a food source. At Wellington Zoo || We have two lemurs that were born at Hamilton Zoo in 2000, both are female.

Return to top