Lemurs
posted in Animal Species, Latest News |
Lemurs are small primates known as “prosimians,” which, roughly translated, means “pre-primates” or “before monkeys.” They are a native of the island of Madagascar and the neighboring Comoro Islands. Lemurs bear a resemblance to the oldest ancestors of primates which existed tens of millions of years ago.
To communicate with each other Lemurs use their sense of smell. These primates have scent glands on their bottoms and on their feet that leave smell on surfaces they cross. Lemurs have big, bushy tails that they wave in the air as another form of communication. These big tails also help them balance when they jump from tree to tree.
Most lemurs are arboreal, which means they spend most of their time in trees and bushes. Only the ring tail lemurs spend most of their time on the ground. Usually lemurs that are awake during the day live in groups. Nocturnal lemurs, that are active at night, tend to live alone.
The ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, and sifakas sleep during the night whereas the smaller mouse lemurs and dwarf lemurs are nocturnal. The aye-aye, an enthralling lemur with an extended, claw-like middle finger which it uses to dig insects out of tree bark, is also nocturnal. This lemur is often feared by the Malagasy people of its native Madagascar because of its unusual appearance.
Lemurs mostly eat fruits, leaves, and other edible plant materials. Insects may also be on the menu, especially for the smaller lemurs.
When lemurs are born, they are carried in their mothers’ mouths until they are old enough to hang on to her fur by themselves. Most lemurs live for about eighteen years.
Out of the fifty different kinds of lemurs, ten of those of them seriously endangered,seven are endangered, and nineteen are considered susceptible.
Fortunately, all types of lemurs are protected, which makes it illegal hunt or capture lemurs for trade, except for scientific research, and to breed in zoos. These laws are well-enforced, and the lemur has been a long-time focus of conservation efforts. Although the lemurs are no longer being hunted like in the past, deforestation is still threatening their survival.