Lemurs

LEMURS

Madagascar is especially known by the existence of its lemurs. Thus lemurs symbolize and represent Madagascar and the Malagasy people according to the different tourist articles sold everywhere like tee-shirts, tables and internet sites…. In fact this endemic primate survived only in Madagascar. May be because of the existence of abundant isolated primary forests, making them feel safe which enable a successful reproduction. In the process of extinction because of deforestation and hunting, they are well protected in the protected areas conceived by the government such as national parks and natural reserves which are open for visitors with a fee and accompanied by local guides. For those by chance who do not know them, they are animals with the large eyes, with dense and sometimes woolly peeling, of dark color for the small species and colored or from white to clear chestnut gray for the bigger species. They are tree-dwellers and move around by jumps. There are about forty species and most of it occurs on the great island The best period to observe them is when their babies are born as from July till the end of the year according to its species.

There are five great families the

CHEIROGALEIDES made up of cheirogaleus, the smallest lemur with fork and mouse lemurs the smallest among lemurs with his 30grammes weight. The mouse lemur is of gray and russet-red color with large red eyes by the gleam of flash light. It is night specie, very discrete and especially feeds with fruits leaves and insects. It shelters in the holes of trees or in nests and during the winter, it is in lethargy after having accumulated reserves of greases.

The MEGALADAPIDES made up of lepilemurs which are more homogeneous and purely night species.

LEMURIDAE made up of hapalemurs, lemurs Catta, Brown lemur, lemur Macaco, Crowned lemur, red-bellied lemur, Mongoz lemur, Black and white ruffed lemur. The lémur Catta, ring tailed lemur or Maki of its Malagasy name is the most popular among lemurs. Less shy, charming, semi terrestrial, it likes to show off and easily accepts to be taken in photograph. It can jump without fear on someone’s shoulders to claim a banana. Living especially in the Southern dry forests, it appreciates fruits, flowers and leaves. In general, they live in group of up to 30 individuals and like Eulemurs, they carry their babies on the belly. The hapalemur is located in Ranomafana. Twilight and night lemur, it lives especially in small group in bamboo forests and nourishes especially growth and leaves of bamboos. The lemur “variegata” lives in rainforest. Nourishing with fruits and flowers, it takes much part in the various vegetation species pollination in the forest.

INDRIDAE made up of propithecus or” Sifaka” species such as Verreaux, Coquerelli, Diadem and Tattersalli are diurnal and semi terrestrial. One can admire it in his lifting posture. Indri Indri is the largest lemur with its 70cm. Recognizable with his small stub as a tail, it is especially found in the eastern rainforests. It is characterized by its morning powerful cry which one can hear from 3km around. This distinct cry can explain three facts: a warning of a danger (predators in the surroundings…) , a powerful territorial cry showing to the rest of the forest that they are still in their territory, a mating cry performed during mating season.

DAUBENTONIIDAE made up of Aye Aye. Most mysterious of the lemurs: it has a long incisor, a bat face, large and sensitive ears. Besides this very fine hearing which quickly detects noises, it has a third long skeleton like middle finger with a bent nail (oversize even) which can cause large damage with the trees when it is in the search of its preferred food that are insect larvae.