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Back to Nature
Ruffed lemurs are endangered because their rain forest homes are being destroyed. They are also heavily hunted for food. Since lemurs survive well in zoos, conservationists are trying to repopulate the rain forests by relocating "zoo lemurs." In 1997, scientists moved five ruffed lemurs from a zoo to Madagascar. On the first day, the team predicted that the lemurs would stick close to their cages, which were stocked with monkey chow. Mmmm, good! But the lemurs had other plans! In minutes, all the lemurs ran away from the release site. Then it turned out that the radio-tracking equipment that tracks the location of animals such as lemurs was on the blink! So the scientists had to chase the lemurs on foot, which was exhausting. After a few days, they decided that all of the lemurs seemed in good condition.
Scientific name: Varecia variegata
Size: eight to nine pounds (about three to four feet long)
Habitat: tropical forests of Madagascar
Diet: fruit, nectar, seeds, and leaves
Characteristics: one of the largest lemurs, it's a forest dweller; long, soft, black and white fur
Significance: on the Endangered Species List because of overhunting and habitat destruction
Lemurs make sounds known as "alarm calls" when:
any predators are in the area
it's time to eat dinner
it's time to wake up in the morning
Correct!
When predators such as boa constrictors, eagles, or hawks are spotted, lemurs make loud alarm calls to alert other lemurs of danger.
Ruffed lemurs got their name because they:
like to ruffle their fur
play rough games with friends
have a tuft of hair around their heads
Correct!
Ruffed lemurs are named for the black-and-white puffs of fur that surround their heads.
The female ruffed lemur always carries her young with her when she searches for food.
Fiction
The mother ruffed lemur parks her infant on a branch or in a nest as she searches for fruit, seeds, leaves, and nectar.
Ruffed lemurs use their teeth to groom each other.
Fact
Most primates groom each other with their fingers. But ruffed lemurs clean each other's fur with their six bottom teeth, called the toothcomb.