Fact Sheet
A group of ringtailed lemurs scans the skies for predators. Click image for larger version.
Order: Primates; Suborder: Prosimii
Family: Lemuridae; Genus: Lemur
Species: catta
Related Species
Ring-tailed lemurs are currently classified in their own genus, but there is considerable debate about their relatedness to the members of the genera Eulemur and Hapalemur.
Key Facts
Adult Size : 4.9 - 6 pounds
Social life : Sociable, group sizes of 3 - 25 animals, with females dominant to males. There are often multiple breeding females in one group.
Habitat : deciduous thicket and thornscrub
Diet : Fruit, leaves, flowers, herbs, and other plant parts, occasional insect and small vertebrate prey
Lifespan : 20 - 25 years
Sexual maturity : 3 years in the wild, as early as 18 months in captivity
Mating : Extremely seasonal, mid-April - June
Gestation : 134 - 138 days
Number of young : One per year, but twins are fairly common when food is plentiful
DLC Naming theme : Greek names (Cassandra, Photius, Ninna, etc.)
Malagasy names : Maki, Hira
Interesting Facts
- Ring-tailed lemurs are one of the most vocal primates. They have several different alarm calls with distinct meanings to alert members of their group to potential danger.
- When ring-tailed troops travel throughout their home range, they keep their tails raised in the air, like flags, to keep group members together.
- Ring-tailed lemurs can spend up to 50% of their day on the ground.
- Ring-tailed lemurs have scent glands on their wrists and chests that they use to mark their foraging routes. Males even have a horny spur on each wrist gland that they use to pierce tree branches before scent marking them.