Ring-tailed Lemur

Lore & Background

Perhaps their most iconic ritual is sunbathing. On crisp mornings, the lemurs can be observed sitting upright on their tails, exposing their soft, white belly fur towards the sun. They will often also have their palms open and eyes gently closed. This behavior helps them keep warm after cool nights. Equally dramatic are their scent-marking battles; males perform a unique behavior called spur-marking and will participate in stink fights by dousing their tails with their pheromones and 'wafting' them at opponents. Additionally, lemurs of both sexes will scent-mark trees, logs, rocks or other objects by simply rubbing their faces and bodies onto it, not unlike a domestic cat.

In Their Own Story

Morning mist clung to the jagged spines of Andringitra's trees as a troop emerged from rocky crevices. The matriarch paused on a grey slab, her stark stripes cutting through the dawn, and raised her tail high—a living banner signaling the march forward. Below, juveniles tumbled in a chaotic burst of energy before settling onto sun-warmed rocks. Nearby, a male groomed his fur, pausing only to flick a scented wrist toward a rival, while the troop's soft chatter wove through the dry air as they began their daily hunt for figs and acacia gum.

Reader's Guide

Ring-tailed lemurs are highly social, living in groups—known as 'troops'—of up to 30 individuals. It is also a female-dominant species, a commonality among lemurs. To keep warm and reaffirm social bonds, groups will huddle together. Mutual grooming is another vital aspect of lemur socialization, reaffirming social and familial connections, while also helping rid each other of any potential insects. Ring-tailed lemurs are strictly diurnal, being active exclusively during daylight hours. Like other lemurs, this species relies strongly on their sense of smell, and territorial marking, with scent glands, provides communication signals throughout a group's home range. The glands are located near the eyes, as well as near the anus. As one of the most vocal primates, the ring-tailed lemur uses numerous vocalizations, including calling for group cohesion and predator alarm calls. Experiments have shown that the ring-tailed lemur, despite the lack of a large brain, can organize sequences, understand basic arithmetic operations, and preferentially select tools based on functional qualities. Despite adapting to and breeding easily under captive care, the wild population of ring-tailed lemur is listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List, due to habitat destruction, local hunting for bushmeat and the exotic pet trade. As of early 2017, the population in the wild is believed to have lowered to as few as 2,000 individuals due to these reasons, making them far more critically endangered. Local Malagasy farmers and logging industries frequently make use of slash and burn deforestation techniques, with smoke being visible on the horizon on most days in Madagascar, in an effort to accommodate livestock and to cultivate larger fields of crops.

Did You Know?

• The ring-tailed lemur is the only member of the Lemur genus.
• The species name, catta, refers to the ring-tailed lemur's cat-like appearance, and its purring vocalization is similar to that of the domestic cat.
• The common name 'ring-tailed maucauco' was first penned in 1771 by Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant.
• The karyotype of the ring-tailed lemur has 56 chromosomes.
• As of early 2017, the wild population is believed to have lowered to as few as 2,000 individuals.