Common Name: Red-ruffed Lemur Scientific Name: Varecia variegata rubra
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Red-ruffed Lemur Distribution: Madagascar Habitat: Rainforest Height: Approx. 50cm Weight: 3.5kg Diet: Herbivorous Fruit, leaves, nectar.
Red-ruffed Lemurs have thick fur. They have black faces, hands, feet and tail. They have a white ‘collar’ around the back of their necks. The rest of their fur is a brown-red colour. They have a dog like face with large eyes. Their ears are hidden in the dense fur. They have very long fingers and feet for gripping the trees. They are found only on the east coast of the island of Madagascar. The Red-ruffed Lemur inhabits the areas around the Antainambalana River and the Masola Peninsula. They live in the tropical forest that covers most of Madagascar spending almost all their lives up in the trees. These lemurs are vegetarian with the majority of their diets being made up of fruit and leaves. Groups usually consist of a male and a female and their offspring but groups of up to six have been known. Pairs hold a territory. Their let other lemurs know whose patch it is by scent marking. The male marks by rubbing his chest and neck onto trees. Most births occur between the months of September and October after a 100-day gestation period (pregnancy). The young are carried around by the mother for the first few weeks but it doesn’t take them long to catch on. Young lemurs can climb in the treetops by the time they are 5 weeks old. Sexual maturity is reached at about 3.5 years old. Ruffed lemurs can live for up to 30 years.