Greater baboon lemur (SciiFii)

The greater baboon lemur (Megapapiolemur cebupithecoides) is a species of lemur that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout Madagascar to help boost biodiversity. The greater baboon lemur is a very large species of lemur, growing on average of 70 cm (28 inches) tall while standing on all fours, with the length of 114 cm (45 inches), and can weigh around 37 kilograms (82 lb). It is an omnivorous species that primarily feeds on leaves, grass, roots, bark, flowers, fruit, lichens, tubers, seeds, mushrooms, corms, rhizomes, insects, grubs, worms, spiders, scorpions, small mammals, small birds, carrion, and eggs, it can also eat man-made food, but can occasionally actively hunt goats, sheep, and chickens to supplement its diet. It can live in groups of 15 to 150, made up of a few males, many females, and their young. Each greater baboon lemur has a social ranking somewhere in the group, depending on its dominance. Occasionally, groups may split up when they become so large that competition for resources is problematic, but even then, members of matrilines tend to stick together. Dominant females procure more food, matings, and supporters. Females are sexually mature at seven to eight years old, and males at seven to 10 years. The greater baboon lemurs tend to mate promiscuously. A male forms a mating consortship with an estrous female, staying close to and copulating with her. Males guard their partner against any other male trying to mate with her. Unless a female is in a multiday consortship, she often copulates with more than one male each day. Multiple copulations are not necessary for reproduction, but may function to make the actual paternity of the female's offspring ambiguous. This lack of paternal certainty could help reduce the occurrence of infanticide. Occasionally, male greater baboon lemurs monopolize a female for her entire period of probable conception. The male protects his female from being mated by other males during consortship. The baby greater baboon lemurs have a similar gestation periods to those of baboons, and breeds about as frequently to ensure their species' further survival. The conservation status of the greater baboon lemur is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the greater baboon lemur's wide range and its tolerance to human activities, despite persecution from farmers.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii