LCF’s red ruffed lemurs, the largest bodied lemurs of our colony, participate in the Association of Zoos & Aquarium’s cooperative breeding program to help safeguard the species against extinction, improve the managed population’s genetic diversity, and teach budding conservationists about these engaging animals.īecause Florida is above the equator rather than below, which changes the seasons, the red ruffed lemurs here breed between November and January, and offspring are born around May and June. Red ruffed lemurs at LCF’s Florida reserve The tall forests they inhabit tempt illegal loggers. But human activity-hunting and cutting down ebony and rosewood trees-is far more devastating to red ruffed lemurs. Cyclones (hurricanes) also strike the Masoala Peninsula. Natural predators include hawks, boa constrictors, and fossae (the plural for fossa-a large, carnivorous mammal, related to the mongoose with qualities of a cat). Many babies fall, resulting in high infant mortality, but those that survive grow quickly. Within a couple of weeks, a mother moves the babies away from the nest, parking them in trees while she looks for food. Instead, they stash them in a nest 10-20 meters off the ground. Unlike other diurnal prosimians, red ruffed lemurs do not carry their babies around on their backs. They are tiny, under 100 grams (3.5 ounces). Females give birth to litters, usually 2-3 infants but sometimes as many as 6. Males call greetings to females and woo them with scent marking. The red ruffed breeding season runs from May through July. Red ruffed lemurs bark to stay in touch, to warn off other lemurs who might try to move into their range, and to alert each other when they see a predator. Red ruffed lemurs are loud, with a variety of calls that can be heard for miles. They use scent marking to define and defend their territory. The size of their home range depends on the size of the group, with larger groups occupying about 60 hectares (about 148 acres). Groups tend to expand in the wet season and contract in the dry season, when small parties break off to search for food. They live in communities ranging from 2 to 30 individuals, a mix of males and females, which are dominant. When feeding, they may hang by their hind feet. In the dry season, they may eat leaves and seeds.Īctive during the day (diurnal), red ruffed lemurs roam the treetops on all fours (quadrupedally), leaping when necessary. Because pollen sticks to their long, furry snouts, they carry it from plant to plant, serving as important pollinators. They also suck the nectar out of flowers. They are the most frugivorous (fruit eating) of all lemurs. Red ruffed lemurs love fruit, which makes up 75-95% of their diet. Their thick coats insulate them when the damp turns chilly. In the wild, red ruffed lemurs prefer tall trees, climbing to the canopy of tropical lowland rain forests on Madagascar’s Masoala Peninsula. They weigh 3.3-3.6 kilograms (about 8 pounds). White fur marks the base of the head and may appear on hands and feet. Red ruffed lemurs take their name from their plush chestnut- or orange-red coat, all the more striking because of their black face, tail, chest, and inner arms and legs. Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List, 2020)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |