Fact Sheet
A female infant mongoose lemur prays that the photographer with large flash will leave. Click image for larger version.
Order: Primates; Suborder: Prosimii; Family: Lemuridae;
Genus: Eulemur; Species: mongoz
Related Species
There are several species in the genus Eulemur, including red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer), crowned lemurs ( ulemur coronatus), the two subspecies of black lemur (Eulemur macaco), and the seven subspecies of brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus).
Key Facts
Adult Size : 3.1 - 3.5 pounds
Social life : Sociable, group sizes of 3 - 4 animals
Habitat : northwestern dry deciduous forests on the mainland, and in humid forests on the islands of the Comores
Diet : flowers (especially pollen), fruit and leaves
Lifespan : 20 - 25 years
Sexual maturity : 2 years
Mating : Extremely seasonal, April - May
Gestation : 126 days, infants are born mid-October
Number of young : one per year
DLC Naming theme : Spanish names (Felix, Mercedes, Moheli, etc.)
Malagasy names : Dredrika, Gidro
Interesting Facts
- Some groups of mongoose lemurs will switch from diurnal activity to nocturnal activity at the beginning of the dry season.
- Mongoose lemurs are one of only two species of lemur found on the islands surrounding Madagascar.
- Mongoose lemurs are sexually dichromatic in the coloration of their "beards": males have reddish-orange fur beneath their chins while the same location on females is white.
- Male mongoose lemurs are born with white beards that will turn reddish-brown when the infants are between 5 and 6 weeks old.