Lemur catta
Lemur catta
(Muirhead, 1819)
▪
Family: Lemuridae
▪
Common Name: Ring-tailed Lemur (Maki)
▪
IUCN Status: Endangered (EN)
Identification Key
•
Light to dark gray fur on back, white belly
•
Very long tail, black and white rings
•
White face with orange eyes surrounded by black
•
Diurnal species, terrestrial and arboreal
•
Lives in well-structured social groups
Size & Weight
•
Body length: 39–46 cm
•
Tail length: 56–62 cm
•
Weight: 2.2–3.5 kg on average
Reproduction & Development
•
Breeding season: early dry season (April–May)
•
Gestation: about 135 days
•
Births: around September–October (start of rainy season)
•
Usually one infant per litter, sometimes twins
•
Weaning starts at about 5 months
Sexual Dimorphism
- Presence of brachial scent glands
- Scent marking and “stink fights”
- Female social dominance in groups
- No strong morphological differences
Diet
•
Omnivore with frugivorous tendency: fruits, leaves, flowers, bark,
sap, sometimes small invertebrates
•
Diet varies greatly with season and resource availability
Threats
•
Habitat loss and fragmentation (deforestation, agriculture)
•
Hunting and capture for illegal pet trade
•
Species classified as Endangered by IUCN
•
Sensitive to human disturbance (tourism, noise, captivity)