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Ringtailed Lemurs

Place to admire: Africa

Scientific name: Lemur catta

IUCN-status: Endangered

Monkey Island is currently closed for visitors.

Habitat

Ringtailed Lemurs live in the tropical and dry forests of southern and southwestern Madagascar.

Sociaal gedrag

Of course, a Ringtailed Lemur group has a leader. The most dominant female within the group takes the lead. Together with her young and one or more males, she forms the core group. For example, the core group may eat first and they lead the way on trips through the territory. This is followed by the non-dominant males, the other females and their young.

Ringtailed Lemurs communicate in many ways. They communicate by sounds, smells, body language, facial expressions, as well as by tail posture.

Natural behavior

Ringtailed Lemurs move actively during the day. Only at noon does the group take a daily, communal rest. During this, the animals sit on the ground and in trees, with their arms spread toward the sun.

These social animals live in groups of 5 to 30 animals within a territory. All adults of the group mark off the territory with substances from scent glands. These scent glands are in the forearms, on the anus area, on the scrotum and by males also on the wrists. They will also use urine and feces to mark the territory.

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