Ring-tailed or ring-tailed lemur. Lemurs - interesting facts Lemur habitat

Today we will talk about lower primates - ring-tailed lemurs. The Romans called the souls of the dead lemurs, among whom the good ones protected family and home, in the form of Lars, and the evil ones, in the form of wandering and evil ghosts, disturbed poor mortals.

There is no animal that reminds us more of ourselves than the monkey. In total, there are about 200 species of primates from 50 genera. The order is divided into two suborders: the lower primates and the higher primates. Lemur belongs to the lower primates

This creature is also called ring-tailed lemur, since it is the size of a cat, covered with bluish-gray hair, the muzzle, ears and abdomen are whitish in color, the tip of the muzzle and the circle of the eyes are black, has a pair of lemon-yellow eyes and is quite a long tail, decorated with black and white rings. The cry of a lemur is similar to a cat's meow!

Ring-tailed lemur or ring-tailed lemur- most known species from the lemur family. It belongs to its own genus, but scientists place it in the genera Eulemur or Hapalemur. The Madagascar name for the ring-tailed lemur is maki.

Ring-tailed lemurs live in the south and southwest of the island of Madagascar in dry open spaces and forests. They live from Fort Dauphin in the west and north to Monradov on the west coast. A small population of lemurs is found in the Andringitra Mountains on the southeastern plateau.

The length of the slender body of the lemur is from 38 to 45 centimeters, and the black and white striped tail ranges from 55 to 62 cm, the animal weighs more than 5 kg. On the back, the fur is gray, sometimes pink-brown, the limbs are gray, the head and neck are dark gray. Belly and inner side The paws are white, the muzzle is white with dark triangular spots around the eyes and a black nose. The tail has 13 black and white stripes. The long tail serves ring-tailed lemurs for signals between relatives; it is an important part in animal language. The tail also acts as a scent distributor and also serves to maintain balance when climbing and jumping. The weight of ring-tailed lemurs can reach 3.5 kg, with a tail of more than 1.5 kg.

Of all the lemurs, ring-tailed lemurs spend the most time on the ground, an adaptation to partially arid environments. environment. Ring-tailed lemurs are active at night and lead a very social lifestyle. They are found in groups of 20 to 30 individuals. There is a strict hierarchy within the groups; the leaders are mainly females. They own preemptive right in choosing food and partner.

While females usually remain in the groups they were born into, males move to new groups several times. The family group ranges from 15 to 57 acres. Every day, lemurs walk around their territory in search of food. They are extremely aggressive towards strangers. Ring-tailed lemurs love to sit in the sun and enjoy its warmth by spreading their arms out to the sides.

The animal's diet consists mainly of fruits; their menu also includes leaves, flowers, herbaceous plants and sometimes insects.

The mating season is seasonal, starting in mid-April. Lemurs give birth to one baby at a time, and sometimes twins are found. The offspring are born between August and October, before the rainy season. Females reproduce annually, the duration of pregnancy is approximately 222 days, and the weight of the cub at birth is from 80 to 120 grams. The newborn grabs onto the mother's fur and hangs on it.

This little miracle only 4 days...

In the first months, females carry their cubs on their stomachs, then on their backs. At the age of 1-2 months, the cub gradually leaves the mother's back and makes independent forays, returning to the mother during sleep and feeding, and at the age of 5-6 months they become completely independent. After five months they wean themselves off milk. Females become sexually mature at the age of 20 months, males at the age of two and a half years. The lifespan of ring-tailed lemurs ranges from 34 to 37 years.

Compared to other lemurs, it is relatively common. However, its species is also classified as endangered, as its population is declining. Currently, the total number of ring-tailed lemurs is estimated at 10 to 100 thousand individuals. The main threats include destruction of living space and hunting, partly for commercial reasons.

The tail is perfect for allowing the ring-tailed lemur to maintain balance while sitting on a thin branch. It also plays an important role in balancing jumps. In social behavior, the striped tail of lemurs is assigned great importance. When a ring-tailed lemur walks on the ground, it holds its tail vertically for better visibility. With the help of their tail, males carry out so-called “smelly fights”. They lubricate the tail with secretions from the armpits and stick it out towards the opponent. In this way, disputes about ranks in the social hierarchy are resolved and the area is protected against out-groups.

The manipulation of inedible objects in lemurs is much better developed than in other prosimians. Such games with objects are considered an important pre-adaptation for the development of intelligence. There is no long-term orientation to food objects, but contact and manipulation of them is much more diverse. When handling objects, lemurs usually use the forelimbs and mouthparts together. They often pick up food with their mouths, pick fruits or take them with their forelimbs, one or two, and immediately bring them to their mouth. Large fruits are bitten with the mouth on the tree without picking them, small fruits are brought to the mouth.

This is a brief description of these unique animals. What attracts me to them? I can’t answer unequivocally. Their soft, warm
their skin, striped-gray in adults and reddish in cubs, their huge tails, decorated with rings, glasses on their eyes, giving their cat's face a stern and incredibly comical expression at the same time, their captivating good nature, affection...

If we looked more often at “our smaller brothers,” perhaps we would become kinder and, without a doubt, more humane. Look at these cute creatures and understand that the most beautiful creations of nature live on Earth...

These animals live only in Madagascar. And, despite such a narrow habitat, the species of lemurs on the island are very diverse.

Who is Lemur?

Lemur is an animal that belongs to the suborder of wet-nosed primates. Lives exclusively in Madagascar.

What do lemurs look like?

These exotic animals have different sizes and differ in species. Here are some of them:

• Dwarf
• Indri
• Extinct species that were larger in size.

If the dwarf lemur weighs only 30 grams, then animals of a species such as Indri can reach a weight of up to 10 kilograms. They have quite powerful fangs, which stand out slightly at the bottom of their jaw. They also have characteristic structure paws that have a long claw in the area of ​​the second toe.

In addition to Madagascar, they are found in the Comoros Islands, but extremely rarely. Their name came to us from Ancient Roman mythology. They are nocturnal and have fairly large eyes.

Lemurs are sedentary and occupy permanent areas, which they protect from the invasion of neighbors. Little has been studied about the lifestyle of small lemur species.

The most common types

According to statistics, in 1999, 31 species of these animals were known, while in 2008 there were already 97 species. Let's look at the main types:

• Hand-footed
• Dwarf
• Megaladapids
• Indriaceae

For the most part, he has the same lemon-yellow eyes and a pointed muzzle. It has a gray-white color with a white belly that stands out against the general background. But the tail has black evenly spaced rings in combination with white ones, which gives it an expressive and extraordinary appearance. Even the cry of this animal is very reminiscent of the meowing of a cat.

Lemur lifestyle

These animals are very sociable and spend most of their lives on the ground. They can be found in numbers of 30 individuals at once. Despite their rather flexible nature, lemurs in the family have quite strict rules. Unlike other animals, the main one in the pack is the female, who enjoys such advantages as the choice of food and male.

Listen to the voice of a lemur

The female always remains in the pack in which she was born, unlike males, who can move to other families several times. Typically, each group of males has its own territory, which it walks around every day, monitoring it, and searching for food.

They do not favor alien animals and are quite hostile towards them. Their favorite pastime is considered to be relaxing under the warm rays of the sun while they spread their paws in different directions.

What do lemurs eat?

Lemurs feed mainly on fruits. Sometimes fallen leaves, flowers and some insects. Mating games of these animals usually begin in April, which leads to the birth of one and sometimes two cubs. The weight of the cub usually does not exceed 120 grams.

Life expectancy is usually between 35-38 years. Today there is a threat of extinction of this animal. This is due to a sharp decline in their population. Thus, the number of ring-tailed lemurs is about 100 thousand individuals. But hunting this animal has a detrimental effect on its reproduction.

These wonderful bug-eyed creatures have recently begun to gradually push dogs and cats out of our homes. This is not bad, because the lemur Laurie small animal, which is on the verge of extinction!!! And at least in this way we can extend his life, and maybe stop extinction? Of course, you need to know about some aspects of the content, and this is what we will talk about.

Description of the lemur Lori

The size of a lemur Lori about the size of an average cat, he has huge eyes And weight up to 10 kg. Color, usually yellow, but sometimes brownish. Males are much calmer than females, and the pet itself quickly becomes attached to its owner, loves to sit on the arms and just be caressed.

How long do Lori lemurs live?

In the wild Lori lives for about 20 years, but at home proper care 30 years!

Where do Lori's lemurs live?

Lemur Lori lives on the islands of Comoros and Madagascar. Lemur It looks like a living toy, and sadly, it’s a stupid and, moreover, touchy little animal. No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to train such an animal; you will only anger the pet and get bitten. The most unpleasant thing, perhaps, is that he cannot be trained to use the litter box; he will go to the toilet anywhere! Not only that lemur nocturnal lifestyle, and its nutrition occurs at the same time.

FOOD AND MAINTENANCE OF THE LEMURA LORI

What to feed the lemur Lori

Lemur eats animal and plant foods: vegetables, fruits, bread, cereals, chicken eggs, dairy products, chicken fillet, milk worms and insects. Laurie loves sweets, and if he refuses food, add honey to it, and your pet will be much more willing to eat the food. Hand feed your pet from the very beginning so that he gradually gets used to you without feeling threatened. But under no circumstances feed from our table! The best diet for this animal is a third of everything (fruits and vegetables, cereals, insects, fermented milk products); if the diet is not prepared in this way, the loris may get sick. To ensure that you always have insects in your diet, you can freeze them in the freezer in the summer!

Keeping the lemur Lori at home

To begin with, the baby will need a spacious cage or enclosure, since he for a long time will get used to the new environment. You can make rods from any material, the main thing is to create them in a cage natural conditions– a house, a nest, trees, branches, just don’t overdo it, free places are also necessary. Place several bowls for water and food, change the water daily.

Place the cage in a quiet place, without drafts, direct sun rays and sources of intense heat (radiators). It is also necessary to install a UV lamp; turn it on during the day for several hours.

Perform general cleaning daily, wiping everything with a damp cloth and removing waste; besides, it is better to throw away old products so that they do not cause poisoning. Of course, over time the animal will get used to it, and you can let it out for a walk in your house, getting used to being handled, but it does not get along at all with children and other pets.

Lemur Lori interesting facts

1. Lemur Lori does not adapt well to natural conditions

2. In essence, lemur resembles a sloth

3. Laurie slow due to its massiveness

4. In captivity Laurie rarely reproduce, so the species becomes extinct

5. U Laurie several babies may be born

6. The father carries the baby on his back most of the time, not the mother.

7. Laurie mark their territory with urine

8. Laurie can eat small birds

VIDEO: LORRY LEMUR

IN THIS VIDEO YOU WILL SEE WHAT A LEMURE LORI LOOKS LIKE AND YOU WILL LEARN A LOT OF USEFUL AND INTERESTING

Madagascar and Comoros east coast Africa is home to amazing animal species, most of which are endemic to these islands (that is, found only there). For example, only the lower primates, lemurs, live there. The word "lemur" is translated as "ghost". Perhaps these animals were classified as “ghosts” due to the fact that most of them are nocturnal, disturbing the silence of the tropical forest with their piercing melancholy cries.

In fact, lemurs are cute and harmless animals with long fluffy tails, prehensile paws and elongated faces with huge, wide eyes. Lemurs spend most of their lives in trees, tightly grasping branches with their front and hind legs with long fingers. The limbs of lemurs are equipped with a “wonderful network” of blood vessels, and due to a good flow of blood, the lemur is able to grab onto a branch so tightly at the right moment that it is impossible to tear it off without damaging its paws. Lemurs, like monkeys, are lovers of a wide variety of food: some species prefer plant foods While supplementing their diet with insects, others may hunt small vertebrates. Lemurs, depending on the species, live in large groups, families or alone.

The lemurs of Madagascar have a special place in the history of primate evolution. As Thomas Huxley wrote, "There is only one true structural break in the sequence of primate brain forms; it is not connected with the transition from apes to humans; it is the break between the lower and the lowest primates, that is, between the Old and New World monkeys, on the one hand, and lemurs, on the other." Only in Madagascar these primitive primates complex forms developed public life in permanent groups, they lead a diurnal lifestyle and feed on fruits like the great apes of large continents. They give us an outsider's perspective on the evolutionary potential and ecological forces that shaped our distant ancestors.

* (Huxley (Huxley) Thomas Henry (1825-1895), English biologist, comrade-in-arms and follower of Charles Darwin, foreign corresponding member. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1864), President (1883-1885) of the Royal Society of London. - Note edit. )

Remains of the most ancient lemur-like animals were discovered in the Eocene deposits of Europe and North America. These animals, belonging to the family Adapidae, were “the first primates to exhibit features of modern forms” (Simmons, 1972). Adapids had an even more elongated muzzle than modern lemurs and an even smaller brain compared to their body weight. It is possible that they relied on smell much more than vision. Modern lemurs in their Everyday life also rely heavily on the sense of smell, and their brains have a much smaller visual cortex than the brains of true Old and New World monkeys. Lemurs and monkeys have differences in the structure of the bones that form the middle ear and in the structure of the hand: in lemurs the fourth finger is the longest, and in monkeys, apes and humans it is the third. Lemurs have a developed "tooth comb". The lower incisors and canines are positioned horizontally and directed forward. They are used to scrape resin from trees and clean the soft fur of other lemurs. However, the most significant difference is the small brain. It seems that on the continents where lemurs competed with monkeys, the latter simply “outsmarted” them.

In the Eocene, when adapidae were in their heyday, Madagascar had already separated from Africa. Lemurs could cross here on logs or on rafts of floating vegetation, clinging to branches washed by the waves with all four paws. During periods of lowering sea levels, narrow strips of land probably appeared, connecting the island with the mainland. It is impossible to say for sure whether the migration of lemurs to the island was one-time or multiple. The smallest lemurs are so reminiscent of small African galagos that it can be assumed that they had common ancestors in the recent past, or perhaps both of these groups remained in the niche of the most ancient primates. Ian Tattersall even argues that modern Hapalemur and Lepilemur so close to fossil adapids that they separated from each other even before they got to Madagascar.

The Mozambique Channel slowly expanded. When true monkeys appeared in the Oligocene, about 30 million years ago, they could no longer get to Madagascar. On the continents, prosimians, including galagos, pottos and slow slender lorises, have survived as solitary, nocturnal insectivores. Their relationships in communities are limited to the fact that animals spend the day together in the same shelters, respond to distant cries of relatives and leave scent marks. Only in Madagascar were lemurs able to occupy the niches of monkeys, and in some cases even of herbivorous ungulates.

Depending on the desire to create a more detailed or more generalized classification, from three to five families of lemurs can be distinguished. 12-13 extant and 6 extinct genera, approximately 26 extant and 12 extinct species have been identified. Several species are further subdivided into subspecies, found in different parts of the island and usually separated geographically by large rivers.

This is an amazing diversity, especially considering that the extinct forms are only subfossil. According to radiocarbon dating, they still existed just a thousand years ago (Tattersall, 1973). They coexisted with living lemur species and with the first people to settle on the island. The bones of these animals were found in the same layers of sediment as the pottery in which they were cooked. They are still mentioned in Malagasy legends; some of these animals were probably still around when the first European settlers arrived. Etienne de Flacourt, in the 1650s, reported the existence of "a terretretre, the size of a two-year-old calf, with a round head and a human face, with ape-like limbs, curly hair, a short tail and ears resembling those of a man."

Evolution continues to this day. Species and subspecies of lemurs are characterized by a wide variety of chromosomal differences, which indicates the active divergence of different populations. Indeed, the complex rain forests and dry woodlands of Madagascar resemble in its conditions an archipelago of islands, where evolution occurs faster than on completely isolated islands or on large, continuous areas of land. This explains the diversity of the lemurs of Madagascar, as well as all other constantly evolving forms of life.

In the eastern tropical rainforests of the Perine region, where, along with species inhabiting the coastal lowlands, there are species living on the high altitudes, in one area you can find up to 10 species of lemurs. Large leaf-eating indriids are represented by the indri, the largest existing lemur, with the diadema sifaka living next to it. Here there are two species of lemurs themselves ( Lemur), as well as the wari lemur and the bamboo-eating hapalemur. All these species occupy certain niches among diurnal animals. Five more species of nocturnal lemurs appear at dusk, when their active activity begins. various activities. In the dry woodlands in the west of the island or in the thorny bush desert of the south, you can find completely different species from the indri, lemur and nocturnal families. Only by driving across the entire island and looking into each forest area, you can get acquainted with the entire magnificent set of Madagascar lemurs. But as the forests disappear, entire species of these prosimians disappear.

Extinct giants

All subfossil lemurs were larger than those now living in Madagascar. Pre-existing Varecia insignis and V. jullyi had skull sizes 15% larger than the modern vare lemur. There was also Daubentonia robusta, larger than the modern arm. The large indri Mesopropithecus pithecoides and M. globiceps, related to sifakas, were the size of a monkey.

Other previously living animals were even larger and did not resemble any of the surviving lemurs. Paleopropithecus ingens and Archaeoindris fontoynonti held the body in vertical position, had a flattened facial disc and a rounded skull. Paleopropithecus did not jump like indris, but clung with large paws and climbed trees, like modern orangutans or even sloths. P. ingens was the same size as a modern female chimpanzee. Archaeoindris, judging by one skull found, was even larger. Two more genera led a terrestrial lifestyle. Archaeolemur majori and A. edwardsi resembled small baboons - they had the same grinding teeth and front and hind limbs equal length, adapted for movement on land. The fleeter Hadropithecus stenognathus had limbs the same length as those of the hussar monkey; They ate hard seeds, like human ancestors.

The largest of all lemurs was Megaladapis. M. edwardsi weighed perhaps 200 kg - the same as a large male orangutan. Other species - M. madagascariensis and Mgrandidieri - had the same physique, but were not as large. They stood closer to real lemurs or hapalemurs than to indris. These animals were characterized by powerful jaws, similar to those of a cow, and large molars; the heavy skeleton resembled the skeleton of lemurs in structure, and with their front paws they could clasp a tree trunk. It is possible that they, like some giant koalas, could hold on to the trunk by stretching their necks and using their tongues to pull up branches with leaves. When it was necessary to move from one tree to another, they moved along the ground in clumsy jumps, like frogs. All this happened before man appeared on the island.
Rice. 11.16. What have we lost? Second row, from left to right: Megaladapis, Archaeoindris, Paleopropithecus, Archaeolemur. First row: Hadropithecus, also the mouse lemur and the indri - the smallest and largest lemur currently extant. All these species were discovered together during excavations in the Ampasambasimba area (E. Jol-li)

What happened next? There have been long debates about the reasons for their disappearance. Significant climate change did not occur for at least 1,000 years after the species remained only bones, now lying on a lifeless plateau hundreds of kilometers from the forest. It seems more likely that fires, habitat disturbance, and hunting contributed to the extinction of nearly a third of lemur species. Zebu breeding caused the expansion of grasslands and created strong competition for the corresponding wild fauna. Madagascar was a “lost world” where species unique to it were preserved and evolved, including creatures that can now be found only in legends.

They became extinct because people did not think about the possibility of their death and did not care about their preservation.

This was the first wave of species extinctions in Madagascar. The second is coming now.

From an article by Alison Jolly, Roland Albinyak and Jean-Jacques Petter

Internal taxonomy

Number of known or distinguishable species per last years increased sharply. Back in 1999, 31 species were classified as lemuriformes (Nowak, 1999), and in 2008 there were 97 of them. The following list contains the taxonomy of lemuriformes to the genus level.

Family Daubentoniidae
family dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleidae)
Hair-eared lemurs (Allocebus)
Rat poppies, dwarf lemurs, chirogaleus (Cheirogaleus)
Mouse [dwarf] lemurs, dwarf poppies (Microcebus)
Fork-banded lemurs, plywood (Phaner)
Lepilemuridae family (slender-bodied lemurs)
lemur family (Lemuridae)
Half-maques, gentle lemurs, hapalemurs, half-lemurs (Hapalemur)
Poppies (common) lemurs (Lemur)
Slender-bodied lemurs (Lepilemu)
Eulemur
Vari (Varecia)
indriidae family
Avagis (Avahi)
Sifaki (Propithecus)
Indri indri

The division of living lemur-like animals into five families is morphologically and genetically well founded, but their evolutionary history has not yet been fully clarified. The apipods are, without doubt, the earliest split-off branch and the sister group of all the other lemurs.

Based on materials from sites

http://geoman.ru
http://mammals.ru
wikipedia

The lemur is rightfully considered one of the most mysterious animals. Everyone can imagine a cute animal with big eyes, familiar from the cartoon “Madagascar,” but not everyone knows that there are 101 species of these animals, very different from each other in lifestyle, color, size, and food preferences. Until recently, virtually nothing was known about them: only 16 species were thought to exist. But in Lately The life of these unique animals is being actively studied. Scientists have already made serious discoveries, described each species, and learned what different lemurs eat in nature. But there are still mysteries, and they will be revealed in the near future.

Lemur - description, origin of the name

There is an interesting version about the appearance of the name of this cute animal.

Once upon a time, ancient Roman sailors who visited the island of Madagascar heard piercing screams in the thickets at night, reminiscent of the screams of children. Going to help, as they believed, the kids who most likely wanted to eat beasts of prey, they saw rather large eyes burning in the darkness. Fantasy, spurred by fear, forced the Romans to run away, because, in their opinion, “lemurs” lived in the thickets. Translated from the ancient Roman language, this word meant “evil spirits”, “ghosts”.

The sailors did not even believe then that such a cute creature, similar to monkeys or even people, not at all scary and not dangerous, could frighten them so much. Thus, when talking about evil spirits eating children on the island of Madagascar, travelers mentioned lemurs. And the name stuck.

Where do lemurs live?

Lemurs are endemic animals because their habitat is limited to the island of Madagascar and the Comoros Islands, located between Africa and Madagascar. If previously animals occupied almost the entire island of Madagascar, now in the natural environment they can only be found in the west (from Fort Dauphin to Monradov) and in the Andringitra mountain range.

According to legend, lemurs sailed from Africa on rafts they themselves built. This, of course, could not have happened, but there is some truth in this story. Modern scientists argue that the animals could well have crossed to the island that separated from the continent on large branches and logs during the period of lowering sea levels, and perhaps crossed over the shallows formed during that period. Since they had practically no enemies on the island, the populations grew rapidly. The local nature also helped the lemurs: the forests were full of a variety of suitable food.

According to another version, it was precisely those populations that survived that remained on the part that separated from the mainland and is now Madagascar itself, since there were much fewer enemies and much more food.

Now the places where lemurs live are various forests: dry woodlands, wet jungle, mountain slopes. Most exist alone, preferring a nocturnal lifestyle. Some species form families.

Sometimes particularly brave representatives wander into city parks or visit landfills in search of food.

If you see lemurs in their natural environment, do not try to catch them: firstly, it is almost impossible; secondly, most species are protected because their populations are declining - you will be responsible for the caught animal.

Description of lemurs

For many, lemurs are cute animals with big eyes, soft, fluffy fur, lazily crawling from branch to branch and chewing leaves. There is a lot of both true and unfair in this image that has formed in the mind. Indeed, most animals have huge eyes, but not all species have large eyes. Not all have soft fur. And these animals are not always lazy and slow; some run quite quickly on the ground, are able to move along rocky mountain ledges, jump from branch to branch, covering considerable distances.

The diversity of species also entails differences in the appearance of the animal. We will talk about individual representatives of lemurs in the continuation of the article, but for now we will highlight the main characteristics of these unique animals.

The size of the animal depends on its species: the largest are indri - they grow up to a meter and can weigh about 10 kg, and the smallest are dwarf mouse lemurs, which do not grow more than 23 cm, of which 10 cm is the length of the tail, with a weight of about 50 gr. studies have shown that animals of this species that once existed and have become extinct by our time could weigh about 200 kg and have gigantic sizes (from a two-year-old calf).

The muzzle of most lemurs is elongated, reminiscent of a fox. The eyes are most often disproportionately large located in front, which makes it seem. that the animal is somewhat surprised. Eye color also depends on the species: most often orange-red, brown-yellow. The black lemur has blue eyes that are unique in the animal world.

The limbs of the animals have five fingers, well developed, since grasping functions are very important for climbing trees. All animals thumb The forelimbs are opposed to the rest, which makes it possible to cling tightly to branches. On the second finger of the lower limbs there is a huge claw (most have nails growing on the other fingers), with which they “comb” the thick fur. But the length of the limbs relative to the fore-hind proportion may differ depending on the species: in some, the forelimbs are much longer than the hind limbs. This is due to the arboreal lifestyle and the need to cling to branches and hang. The same species that live on land have either relatively the same size limbs or more developed hind limbs.

Many lemurs have luxurious tails, which, in turn, perform many functions: it helps balance while jumping or running, clings to branches and holds the animal, and is a signaling tool for other individuals, especially those living in flocks. The big-tailed lemur is very attentive to him: he always takes care of hygiene. Sometimes the length of the tail exceeds the size of the animal’s body. And only indri lemurs have relatively short tails, growing only up to 5 cm.

Watching these funny animals, you can note that they look at unfamiliar objects very carefully, but are in no hurry to touch them. In the natural environment, young, inexperienced individuals spend a long time studying new animals or plants. A domestic lemur will never touch a thing without examining it in detail and assessing its safety.

Lifestyle of lemurs in their natural environment

If previously it was believed that lemurs are exclusively nocturnal animals, then recent studies of the life of these animals prove that the diversity of species also differs in behavioral characteristics, daily activity, single or family (gregarious) way of life.

The Madagascar bat is also nocturnal: in daytime This rather large animal hides in the foliage of trees, but at night it wakes up to eat and communicate with its relatives, which is when everyone hears terrifying screams. With the onset of darkness, many dwarf lemurs, hiding during the day in shelters in the trees, wake up. Slender-bodied lemurs are nocturnal and prefer to live in thickets.

But the ring-tailed lemur is more active during the day than at night. This is due to the fact that they live on earth. Red warries, which live exclusively in trees, also demonstrate a diurnal lifestyle. The short-tailed indris are rightfully considered the most “daytime”: these animals gladly expose their bodies to the sun, stretching out on the branches of trees, and fall asleep when darkness falls. Crested sifakas (vero), which live in trees in the humid areas of the island, are also active during the day.

The activity of macaco (black) lemurs depends on the season and on the phase of the moon: during the new moon and during dry times they lead a fairly passive lifestyle, and during the rainy season these animals become active from sunrise to dusk.

Lemurs are characterized by a state of seasonal hibernation: for some time they hide in shelters and spend time in a state of rest.

The social relationships of these animals are also varied. As a rule, lemurs live in packs led by females. Growing young animals rarely leave their family, but continue to live inside, occupying their position determined by status. These “family” ones include ring-tailed lemurs (cat-tailed lemurs), which live in packs with clearly structured intra-family hierarchical relationships and distribution of responsibilities. Red-headed moths also live in flocks of up to 20 individuals.

Small-toothed lemurs are solitary animals that pair up for short periods of time to have offspring. Many species of small lemurs are solitary, preferring to live in small hollows in trees or burrows.

Indris usually live as a family: a female, a male and their offspring of different ages. If mature animals create their own family, they separate from their parents and go to their own territory. Indris communicate their rights to the territory not only with traditional marks, but also with loud morning singing. Golden bamboo lemurs also create the same ideal families. The composition is simple: parents and offspring, who, growing up, leave the family and create their own.

Recent studies have shown that Madagascar bats, who prefer to be solitary (they build nests in the forks of trees exclusively for themselves), prefer to hunt or play in pairs.

All lemurs are territorial animals that mark their habitat with urine or special enzymes and protect their area from uninvited guests. Arboreal animals mark their homes by scratching tree bark or biting branches.

What do lemurs eat and what do they eat in the wild?

In their natural environment, lemurs feed mainly on plant foods, although it cannot be said that all animals of this species eat the same.

Since most of these animals live in trees, their diet consists of what they could find around them. As a rule, these are ripe fruits (figs, bananas), leaves, young shoots, plant seeds, flowers. Large individuals can also feast on tree bark.

Plant food is not always enough to replenish strength, so lemurs compensate for this by long rests or slow movements.

Small individuals, for example, dwarf lemurs, happily feed on the nectar of flowers, their pollen, and plant resins. This animal also eats larvae and even small insects.

Some species have special preferences for plant foods. Madagascar bats are very fond of the milk of coconuts and mangoes, the ring-tailed lemur is very fond of the fruits of the Indian date (tamarind), and the golden and bamboo lemurs are partial to bamboo shoots.

But not all lemurs are herbivores. You should know that the lemur sometimes eats insects: various beetles, butterflies (especially those that fly at night), spiders, mantises, cockroaches. The gray mouse lemur will not refuse small vertebrates: chameleons and frogs. Observations of animals have shown that they even eat small birds and their eggs.

Indri lemurs sometimes eat the ground. This dietary feature is caused by the need to neutralize some toxic substances contained in plants.

Animals usually grab food with their teeth or take it with their front paws and bring it to their mouth. Watching animals while eating is very interesting, since many of them resemble people.

A lemur at home or in a zoo can switch to food that is not typical for it and quickly get used to the change in its natural diet, but it is still necessary to take into account the preferences of the animal in nature.

Puberty occurs differently in each species. The smaller the animal in size and weight, the sooner it becomes capable of producing offspring. Thus, large indris become sexually mature only at the age of five, and the dwarf mouse lemur can reproduce within a year. Despite the fact that some species can live more than 30 years, their reproductive age is short.

Usually the mating period of animals coincides with a certain season. This is connected with nutrition - food preferences affect the time of courtship.

During the mating season, animals call each other with loud cries, rub against their chosen ones, and try to mark them with their scent.

The relationship between a female and a male develops differently. In most species, pairs do not form. One male may well be the father of the cubs of many females and takes virtually no part in raising the younger generation. But in the Indriidae family, monogamous couples form: the animal finds a new partner only if its own dies.

Despite the fact that pregnancy in lemurs, depending on the species, lasts from two to seven and a half months, they produce offspring only once a year. And some species, for example, the Madagascar bat, even less often, once every 2-3 years.

Most often, one cub is born, less often two. This is due to the fact that they are born absolutely helpless. Some weigh no more than 5 grams. Even babies of large individuals are born weighing only 80-120 grams. The little lemur opens its eyes on the second to fifth day; until this time it practically does not hear. Only rare species They give birth to sighted children. But babies have well-developed grasping reflexes: as soon as they are born, they already cling to their mother’s fur on the belly, where they find milk and warmth. And only after a few weeks they are able to move onto the female’s back, where they will stay for about six months. Not every mother is able to bear two babies, which is why they give birth rarely and in small numbers.

After two to three months, the cubs sometimes begin to leave the female’s back in order to independently develop the territory. Caring parents return runaways, since careless kids can fall from trees and die.

But the appearance and first months of life of cubs in some species have their own characteristics. Thus, the gray mouse lemur breeds offspring in specially prepared hollows, where the babies spend up to two weeks and only then go out into the world.

The appearance of offspring in lemur lemurs occurs in a special way. First, they build a nest for future children. Secondly, these are the only lemurs that can give birth to 5-6 babies at once. And finally, for several weeks the lemurs remain in the nest under the supervision of the male, rather than clinging to the female.

Lory lemurs are very picky in choosing a partner. Recently, these animals are often kept as pets. If in the natural environment there is an opportunity to create a pair with that. whoever sympathizes with the animal, then the loris lemur at home, even if there is an individual of the opposite sex nearby, may not have offspring, since he simply will not like the partner.

The decline of many lemur populations is directly related to the characteristics of reproduction. In captivity, animals may not reproduce at all.

Types of lemurs

Since lemurs had practically no enemies in Madagascar, and the primates that displaced them from other habitats were not found here, the animals had the opportunity to evolve. The study of these animals began relatively recently: research has shown that there are more than 100 species of these unique animals, which are divided into 4 families:

Each of the existing families has its own subspecies.

Archaeological finds have shown that animals appeared in Madagascar 50 million years ago, and this moment there are 3 families that are already extinct:

• megadalapids;
• paleopropithecus;
• archaeolemurs.

These animals are unique business card Madagascar, although they live only in the southern part of the island. Official name– The ring-tailed lemur, or catta, belongs to the lemur family.

They live in families with strong hierarchical relationships: the head of the pack is the alpha female, who carefully monitors order and leads her relatives to feed. Males of this species do not stay in the pack for long; they usually come only during the mating period, and then leave in search of other packs. This behavior ensures healthy offspring without inbreeding.

The ring-tailed lemur has a very original coloring: the eyes seem to be thickly outlined with dark areas of fur, which makes the animal look serious and attentive. The brown-gray back and light belly resemble human clothing, so it is believed to be a human-like creature, especially when the catta stands on its hind legs.

A distinctive feature of representatives of this species is their bright long tail, colored with successive black and white stripes, of which there are most often 25, always ending in black. The length of the tail can exceed the size of the catta's body, up to 65 cm with a body up to 45; Moreover, the weight of this decoration can reach up to 1.5 kg with the total weight of the animal up to 3.5. When moving on the ground, all members of the flock raise their tail high so that the alpha female can see where everyone is.

The ring-tailed lemur moves equally easily on the ground and jumps through trees, which makes it difficult prey for the fossa.

Another feature of these animals is their very long reproductive age - they can bear offspring almost until the end of their lives, which helps maintain the population.

Gray mouse lemur

The dwarf lemur family includes 5 genera with 30 species, among which the gray mouse lemur is the most famous, since it is currently quite often purchased as a pet.

This cute lemur with very large kind eyes is rightfully considered the smallest, its weight does not exceed 65 grams. It lives only in the north and west of the island.

According to its way of life in its natural environment, the gray mouse lemur is a nocturnal animal. During the day he sleeps in a hollow tree, sometimes in the company of same-sex relatives, sometimes alone, and at night he goes out to hunt. The animal rarely descends to the ground, but travels well through the trees. Despite its very small size, it can jump over distances of up to three meters.

The food for this baby is flower nectar, flowers themselves, plant resin, insect larvae and even small insects. For its size, the animal is quite voracious.

By the age of one year, the dwarf mouse lemur becomes sexually mature. 2 months after mating, the female gives birth to two, and sometimes three, cubs, which spend up to two weeks in the hollow and only then begin to gradually come out. Babies are born very small, weighing no more than 5 grams, but covered in wool. In their natural environment, these animals reproduce until they are approximately 6 years old, although the domestic lemur can live for 20 years.

In nature, these animals have a lot of enemies (snakes, birds, fossas), so the mortality rate is quite high.

At home, the gray mouse lemur easily takes root, but future owners must take into account the animal’s nocturnal lifestyle. During the day he will sleep in his shelter, and at night he will be active.

The Madagascar bat is the only representative of the bat family, so for a long time there were debates regarding its classification as lemurs or rodents. But nevertheless, the researchers decided that in terms of its structure this animal is a lemur.

The animal weighs about 3 kg, the size of the fluffy tail is up to 60 cm, much larger than the body - up to 43 cm. The animal has a large head with huge, almost bald ears, an elongated nose and attentive eyes. The body is covered with black or with a slight brown tint of coarse hair.

A distinctive feature of the Madagascar monkey is its very long toes, with the help of which it perfectly clings to trees and obtains food for itself. Particularly useful middle finger with a deadly claw, with which the animal, like a woodpecker, taps a tree, finds and takes out the larvae. Using the same tool, the little arm breaks through coconuts and extracts favorite treat- coconut milk. But when walking on the ground, her fingers get in the way, so she leans on her fists and goes down to the ground extremely rarely. The teeth of the arm, accustomed to gnawing bark, grow throughout its life.

The animal is exclusively nocturnal. During the day he sleeps in shelters. It is worth noting that the little hand builds several houses and hides in them one by one, probably so that predators cannot notice its shelter.

The lemur, called “ay-ay” by local residents, received its middle name because of its rare screams, which for some reason they were afraid to hear.

The Madagascar bat reproduces very slowly: females give birth once every 2-3 years, most often one baby is born, so the existence of this animal was under threat several decades ago.

In recent years, little arms have been taken into the home as pets. Breeders should take into account the behavioral characteristics of these animals and be prepared for the fact that they will be awakened at night by their frightening screams.

There is still debate about whether Loriids belong to lemurs. On the one hand, an animal very similar to madagascar lemur outwardly, it has a similar lifestyle and reproductive characteristics as other representatives. On the other hand, the habitat is not Madagascar at all, but the forests of Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, the Malaysian Peninsula, the islands of Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Central Africa and South Asia. The loris has virtually no tail, which distinguishes it from other lemurs.

And yet, most people consider lorises to be lemurs. In recent years, they are often kept as pets, touched by their charm. The loris lemur adapts quite quickly at home, but breeders must take into account the peculiarity of the animal’s existence in its natural environment.

Loris belong to the order of primates, the suborder of the wet-nosed animals. There are five families of these animals, among which the most famous are the fat and slender loris. Their body length does not exceed 40 cm, and their weight is 2 kg. They have a light brown coat with a dark stripe along the back and an almost black edging around the expressive eyes.

These are slow-moving animals that are exclusively nocturnal. They have huge eyes that can see perfectly in the dark. During the day, the animals hide high in the crowns in built shelters. They are very well adapted to life in trees: they deftly move from branch to branch, clinging tightly with their paws. But lorises, like many of their cousins, cannot jump at all.

Most often they live alone, but communication with relatives is important for them, so the lemur loris at home, being the only one, can become very sad. They take a long time to choose a mate. They become sexually mature only after a year and a half, then they find a partner. Pregnancy lasts quite a long time for an animal of this size - about 7 months, after which one, rarely two babies are born. They are born sighted, their coat color is lighter, almost silver, than that of adults, but by 2 months they already acquire a permanent color. Up to a year, and sometimes longer, babies stay near their mother. If they want to communicate something, they emit a quiet chirping sound, reminiscent of a bird. The male never takes part in raising the offspring.

In nature, these animals live up to 17 years, and at home they can live longer.

Endangered Lemur Species

Scientists have calculated that about a hundred species of lemurs live on the island of Madagascar, differing from each other in size, color, lifestyle, and diet. But not everyone feels comfortable. Some species are on the verge of extinction due to poaching and uncontrolled deforestation. Let's imagine animals whose lives are in danger.

• White-fronted indri (diadem sifaka). The habitat is the very small forest area of ​​the eastern part of the island, which has a detrimental effect on the population.

• Mongoose lemur. One of the few species that lives off the island, but in decline possible places habitat threatens its existence.

• Brown mouse lemur. Nocturnal, it is the smallest representative of the species, resembling a mouse, which is why it got its name.

• Aye-aye (Madagascar little hand). The largest representative. Active at night and before sunrise. In recent decades, it has suffered greatly from poachers.

• Brown lemur. Lives exclusively in Madagascar. Very friendly to other animals.

• Gapalemurs. A special feature of this species is its ability to swim. Unlike their other brethren, who prefer to spend most of their time in tree branches or on the ground, animals of this subspecies feel comfortable in the water.

• Golden-headed sifaka. They live in flocks with clearly structured hierarchical relationships; they often become victims of fossa, so their population is greatly reduced.

• Fork-fronted lemur. It got its name because of the two dark stripes on the frontal part of the head. Prefers arthropods and small reptiles as food. Possesses unique ability jump great distances.

• Silky Sifaka. It especially suffers from poachers who hunt it for its unique fur. Its cute appearance makes it an expensive commodity in the black animal trade market.

• Blue-eyed black lemur. So named because of the eye color unique to animals. Only males are black, females are exclusively red-brown. Animals are suffering due to the reduction of forest areas. They are aggressive towards other representatives and can even kill opponents.

In recent decades, these species have been protected international organizations. Criminal penalties have been introduced for actions leading to the death of lemurs.

Extinct lemur families

Despite the numerous species, lemurs already have their losses: three families are considered extinct today. Just recently, scientists made an incredible discovery: a flooded cave was found in national park, in which a whole cemetery of giant animals was discovered. How they ended up in this place remains to be seen, but the fact of the existence of lemurs in Madagascar from the Pleistocene to the present day is irrefutable.

• Megaladapis family. We can talk about the appearance of these animals solely from archaeological finds, since they became extinct quite a long time ago, about 10-12 thousand years ago. Although there are references to the existence of megaladapis as early as 1504, that is, the time of the appearance of Europeans in Madagascar, there is no factual evidence of this.

In its structure, the creature, similar to modern koalas, was quite squat, with powerful hind legs and very long front legs. The joint of the foot and well-developed toes indicate that megaladapis were not adapted to terrestrial life, but existed well in trees. For these features they received their second name - koala lemurs.

The location of the eyes was also unusual: on the sides, and not in front, like most modern relatives. Powerful jaws and the structure of the teeth indicate that these lemurs ate exclusively plant foods. These were very large animals, weighing up to 75 kg.

• Family Paleopropithecus. The study of the life of these animals proves that representatives of the family were represented on the island by four genera (Mesopropithecus, Paleopropithecus, Archaeoindri, Babakotia). It is believed that animals ceased to exist in the last millennia BC. But there are legends that representatives of this family were seen much later, even in the 16th century of our time.

All skeletal finds were found in swampy areas of the island, most often in caves, which suggests that Paleopropithecus led a terrestrial lifestyle, preferring wet areas.

Reconstruction of the animal's skeleton shows that the weight of Archaeoindri could reach up to 200 kg. Such a gigantic creature was definitely terrestrial. But representatives of the other three other genera were much smaller, 10-25 kg, and could live perfectly well on trees.

• Family Archaeolemuridae. Archaeological research shows that members of this family lived in Madagascar until approximately the 12th century. The presumable cause of death is the development of the island and hunting for them.

Reconstruction of the skeleton showed that these were quite large animals: their mass reached 25 kg. They had short limbs relative to the body; grasping capabilities were less developed compared to other related animals, which suggests that archaeolemurs primarily lived on the ground. The structure of the jaw shows that they had to carefully grind their food, which most likely included seeds, flowers, leaves, fruits, arthropods and possibly small animals.

The found bones confirm the version that the habitat of archaeolemurs was almost the entire island.

If you have a lemur at home

Recently, lemurs are often taken into the home as pets. People are attracted to a small cute animal with expressive eyes and soft wool. Usually this is a mouse lemur or a loris lemur. At home, these animals take root safely, but it must be taken into account that the living conditions should be as close to natural as possible.

Most lemurs are nocturnal - this is their nature; it is after sunset that they leave their shelter to eat, play and clean up; Therefore, be prepared for the fact that the loris lemur at home will hide in its house all day, and you most likely will not be able to play with your cute pet, but at night the baby will make noise.

• a shelter house attached at the top, in which the animal can hide during the day;
• all kinds of branches, climbing devices: otherwise the animal will not be able to move sufficiently (the loris lemur at home prefers to hang on branches; dwarf lemurs prefer to jump);
• drinking bowl with clean water;
• special filler for rodents.

If you have larger animals, then the enclosure should be of appropriate size.

Try to make your pet's home as close in appearance to the natural environment as possible. Should not be placed in an enclosure Stuffed Toys, running wheels, bright accessories - they will scare the animal.

Many owners of furry pets worry about how to organize proper nutrition. First of all, you should find out what this animal eats in its natural environment. The diversity of species also implies differences in nutrition, as well as the ratio of plant and animal foods. In nature, animals eat fruits and flowers, love nectar, pollen and plant resins; they will happily swallow larvae, small insects, and feast on bird eggs. Pets need to have enough food to stay healthy and active. Most lemurs need to eat following products:

• a variety of fruits, especially those that they ate in the wild;
• vegetables (raw and lightly cooked);
• cereal porridge;
• dairy products;
• freshly squeezed juices, possibly with the addition of honey;
• boiled chicken eggs or raw eggs birds (can be quail);
• insects and larvae (you can store them in the refrigerator and defrost them before use, but it is better to offer them alive).

Most lemurs go out looking for food after dark, so it is better to feed them in the evening so as not to disturb their natural way of life.

The lemur's thick fur also requires care. In nature, animals comb it with their large finger claw. It should be noted that these clean animals devote quite a lot of time to their appearance. At home, the loris lemur will also carefully sort through its fur every evening or at night, smoothing it with its paws, but pets especially love it when they are combed, with pleasure exposing their belly and back, while demonstrating obvious bliss. Owners can get a small brush with small soft bristles for their pets and periodically pamper their furry baby with pleasant treatments. But you shouldn’t comb pygmy lemurs: they are so small that any comb, even the smallest one, can damage their skin.

In the natural environment, only one species of lemur likes to swim and even knows how to swim. The rest of the animals never come near the water. Therefore, you should not bathe the lemur: baths, especially with shampoos, can disrupt the natural microflora and lead to diseases.

The animals are very curious, and if you consider that their activity time is at night, then they will begin to explore your apartment exactly when you are sleeping. Tenacious fingers will help them open the lock on the enclosure, so make sure that the cage is closed not with a primitive latch or hook, but more reliably, otherwise the animals may hang on the wires, or even taste them, and this can lead to the death of the animal.

Despite the fact that many lemurs are very selective and prefer a solitary lifestyle, keeping them better in pairs. Thus, the slender loris lemur at home suffers greatly from loneliness and may even die. It is not at all necessary that a couple will produce offspring (they rarely breed in captivity), but communication with relatives is of great importance for the animals.

When bringing a lemur into your home, remember that the animal should feel comfortable and not be your living toy.

Legends about lemurs

In Madagascar, the lemur is considered a sacred animal, because there is a legend that they were once people who went into the forest and, adapting to a different way of life, grew hair, learned to live in trees and eat fruits. The inhabitants of the island revere these animals: when they meet them, they greet them respectfully. If a lemur falls into a hunting trap, it is released, but the wounded animal will be taken home, treated, and then released into the forest.

There is a legend about the appearance of these animals in Madagascar, which says that lemurs used to live in Africa, but they did not feel safe there, so they built a raft and swam to the island. It is difficult to imagine that animals themselves can build at least some kind of vessel and cross the water to another place, but this is exactly how the legend explains their appearance.

In Madagascar, they are very wary of the Madagascan bat; they try not to mention its name again. There is a superstition that a person who kills this animal will certainly die within a year. It is believed that if an animal screams near the house, then something bad will definitely happen. Local residents are afraid of falling asleep in the forest, because when they wake up, they should find a grass pillow placed under a hand. If there is a pillow under your head, expect wealth, under your feet - a terrible curse.

Lemurs do not have hair on their palms, and most of them have paws that closely resemble human hands. The skin on the palms of animals is very sensitive, so they examine unfamiliar objects not only with their eyes, but also with their hands.

Some females carry their babies not on their backs, as usual, but in their mouths, so in order to eat, they first lay out the babies and then eat. If this is not possible, the female may remain hungry.

During dry periods, ring-tailed lemurs obtain moisture from cacti by carefully peeling off the spines.

All lemurs have a rather shrill voice, sometimes frightening because it resembles a human, or rather a child’s, cry. But the indri are rightfully considered the most vocal. This is due to the fact that animals practically do not have a tail, which for many is a signal for determining location, so a cry becomes a signal. A lemur with a very shrill voice is able to inform its relatives about danger or its location at almost a distance of one kilometer.

The tail of lemurs serves as a kind of storage room for them. This is where they store fat reserves and nutrients in case of famine or hibernation.

Lemurs are cute, harmless animals. In recent decades, a lot of research has been carried out that will shed light on the features of their life, so mysterious to us. Unfortunately, human activities are increasingly harming their natural environment, so taking care of the conservation of these unique animals is our direct responsibility.