Lemurs of Madagascar More lemur photos Madagascar is world-famous for its lemurs—primates that look something like a cat crossed with a squirrel and a dog. These animals are unique to the island and display a range of interesting behaviors from singing like a whale (the indri) to sashaying across the sand like a ballet dancer (the sifaka). Below you will learn more about these fascinating creatures. Lemur history Madagascar lacks the dominant form of primate distributed worldwide, those of the suborder Haplorhini (monkeys, chimps, gorillas, and Homo sapiens). Instead, their niche has been filled by an older group of primates, the lemurs. Lemurs belong to the sub-order Strepsirhini together with bushbabies, lorises, and pottos which—like the original lemurs—are nocturnal, insectivorous primates characterized by a small body, a long nose, and large eyes. Lemurs have an interesting evolutionary history and the only reason they still exist today is because of Madagascar's isolation.

Until around 160 million years ago, Madagascar was attached to the African mainland as part of the super continent Gondwanaland (formed of Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica, India, and Madagascar). As Gondwanaland broke apart, Madgascar moved away from Africa. The first lemur-like primates on the fossil record appeared roughly 60 million years ago in mainland Africa and crossed over to Madagascar shortly thereafter. The island continued to drift eastward and by the time monkeys appeared on the scene 17-23 million years ago, Madagascar was isolated from their arrival. As highly intelligent and adaptive primates, monkeys quickly drove the lemur lineage elsewhere in the world toward extinction (a few Strepsirhines—including bushbabies, lorises, and pottos—managed to hang on by retaining their nocturnal, solitary, and insectivorous traits). Madagascar's lemurs—isolated from evolutionary changes of the world—radiated into the large island's many niches without much competition or predation.

Today lemurs are found in virtually all of Madagascar's ecosystems and share some of the social and behavioral characteristics of monkeys (i.e., forming social groups, eating fruit and vegetation, and being active during the day). Upper primates did not reach Madagascar until about they learned to navigate the high seas and arrived on boats roughly 2,000 years ago. Humans quickly went to work on the island's lemurs, reducing the number of species found in Madagascar by at least 15. The largest species suffered the most and today the largest remaining lemur is the Indri which would have been dwarfed by the gorilla-sized species once found on the island. Currently all lemurs are endangered species, due mainly to habitat destruction (deforestation) and hunting . Lemurs today Today Madagascar is home to nearly 60 "taxa" of lemurs (species, sub-species, and populations from 33 species across five families and 14 genera) ranging in size from the 25-gram pygmy mouse lemur to the indri.

All these species are endemic to Madagascar (two lemur species were introduced to the Comoros) giving the country the second highest number of primate species after Brazil, which has 77 species (only two endemic genera and no endemic families). And new species are still being discovered— primate researchers speculate that 10-20 new species of lemurs may be described over the next generation. Global importance of Madagascar's lemurs According to Russell Mittermeier in The Eighth Continent , although Madagascar "is only one of 92 countries with wild primate populations, it is alone responsible for 21 percent (14 of 65) of all primate genera and 36 percent (five of 14) of all primate families, making it the single highest priority" for primate conservation. "Madagascar is so important for primates that primatologists divide the world into four major regions: the whole of South and Central America, all of southern and southeast Asia, mainland Africa, and Madagascar, which ranks as a full-fledged region all by itself." Behavior Non-scientists generally group lemurs by their primary time of activity: day or night.

Noctural lemurs are typically smaller and more reclusive than their diurnal counterparts. Lemurs are vocal animals, making sounds that range from the grunts and swears of brown lemurs and sifaka to the chirps of mouse lemurs to the eerie, wailing call of the indri, which has been likened to a cross between a police siren and the song of a humpback whale. Lemur species counts for selected parks: Protected Area conservation is saving lemurs and helping people in Madagascar (5/7/2007) Madagascar, an island nation that lies off the coast of southeastern Africa, has long been famous for its unique and diverse species of wildlife, especially lemurs--primates found nowhere else on the planet. In recent years, the island country has also become world-renowned for conservation efforts that are succeeding in spite of extraordinary pressures from a poor population that relies heavily on forest burning for basic subsistence. A large part of this success is due to the early efforts of Patricia Wright, a primatologist who has been working in the country for more than 20 years.

Wright led the effort to launch the country's leading protected area and helped Madagascar become a leading global example of conservation despite its economic adversity. Lemurs at risk due to invasion of feral beasts, global warming (2/7/2007) The lemurs of Madagascar are among the world's most threatened primates. Extensive habitat destruction, hunting, and the introduction of alien species have doomed dozens of species to extinction since humans first arrived on the island within the past 2000 years. Most of the casualties were Madagascar's largest lemurs -- today the biggest lemur is but a fraction of the gorilla-sized giants that once ruled the island. Despite this relative impoverishment of megafauna, Madagascar still boasts nearly 90 kinds of lemurs, all of which are unique to the island (save one species that was probably introduced to some nearby islands). Lemurs display a range of unusual behvaiors from singing like a whale (the indri) to sashaying across the sand like a ballet dancer (the sifaka). Interest in lemurs has helped Madagascar become a global conservation priority, though they are still at risk.

Continued deforestation, scattered hunting, and looming climate change all pose significant threats to some lemur populations. One largely unexamined threat comes from introduced species such as the Indian civet and mongoose, but especially dogs and cats that have become feral. In search of wildlife, while dodging leeches, in Madagascar's unexplored rainforest (2/5/2007) It is called a rainforest for a reason--because it rains.... and rains. As my field partner, Angelin Razafimanantsoa, and I make our way down muddy mountainsides in the endless downpour, we stop only long enough to pick squirming, bloodthirsty leeches off each other's face. Hours pass as we wade through knee-deep streams rushing over smooth, slippery rocks and thick forest stands. Seven hours ago, we anticipated arriving at our next base camp in three hours' time. Now, as night is falling, it seems we have at least five hours more to go. Lemurs communicate by scent (1/29/2007) Ringtailed lemurs can recognize each other by scent according to a study published in the current issue of the journal Animal Behaviour.

The research, conducted by Elizabeth S. Scordato and Christine M. Drea of Duke University, looked at olfactory communication in the ringtailed lemur, a charismatic primate that forms complex social groups led by a dominant female, so see what information is contained within the scent marks of the species. 3 new lemur species identified in Madagascar (11/27/2006) Genetic analysis has revealed three previously unknown species of lemurs on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar. The newly described lemurs are all mouse lemurs, one of the world's smallest primates. These lively lemurs are found in virtually all of Madagascar's forests where they feed on insects, fruit, and plant sap. Nocturnal, mouse lemurs betray their presence with high-pitched chirps. Lemur conservation in Madagascar requires poverty alleviation initiatives (11/5/2006) Madagascar, an island larger than France that lies off the southeastern coast of Africa, is perhaps best known for its lemurs--primates that look something like a cat crossed with a squirrel and a dog. Lemurs, which are found naturally only in Madagascar, serve as a charismatic representation of the island's biodiversity and its problems.

Since the arrival of humans some 2000 years ago from southeast Asia, Madagascar has lost all of its mega fauna and more than 90 percent of its wildlands. Today forest clearing for agriculture and hunting continues to put lemurs and other endemic species at risk. The good news is that because of Madagascar's biodiversity, the island has become a top priority for global conservation. At the forefront of these efforts is the Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG), an international consortium of zoos and related organizations that work to protect Madagascar's wildlife and ecosystems, and the Duke University Lemur Center, the one of the world's leading lemur research facilities. Charlie Welch, currently a research scientist at the Duke University Lemur Center, recently answered some questions on his experiences in lemur conservation. Welch, along with his wife Andrea Katz, has worked in Madagascar for 17 years and helped transform conservation efforts in the country. Climate Change Threatens Lemurs (9/18/2006) Tropical rainforests are among the most stable environments on Earth, but they are still no match for global climate change. Dr.

Patricia Wright, the widely admired primatologist and Professor of Anthropology at Stony Brook University, finds that climate change could mean the difference between survival and extinction for endangered lemurs. Orangutans and chimps are smarter than monkeys and lemurs (8/1/2006) The great apes are the smartest of all nonhuman primates according to scientists at Duke University Medical Center. The researchers found that orangutans and chimpanzees consistently outperformed monkeys and lemurs on a variety of intelligence tests, conclusively proving that apes are more intelligent than monkeys and prosimians. Rare indri lemur born in forest reserve in Madagascar (7/13/2006) A rare lemur known for its haunting whale-like call has given birth in a reserve outside its native forest. The news is significant because the Indri, as the world's largest living lemur is known, has traditionally done poorly when kept in captivity or introduced to outside its montane forest in Madagascar. The birth occurred at Palmarium, a small private reserve of lowland tropical forest established by a tour operator in Madagascar, and provides further hope for the successful conservation of the endangered species.

Why does Madagascar have so many unique animals? (5/24/2006) Scientists have developed the first comprehensive theory to explain Madagascar's rich biodiversity. Madagascar, larger than California and about size the size of Texas or France, is the world's fourth largest island. Isolated in the Indian Ocean off the coast of southern Africa, about 70% of the estimated 250,000 species found on the island exist nowhere else on the globe. The island is home to such evolutionary oddities as lemurs, a group of primates endemic to the island; brilliantly colored lizards including geckos and chameleons; tenrecs, spiny hedgehog-like creatures; and the fossa, a carnivorous animal that looks like a cross between a puma and a dog but is closely related to the mongoose. Madagascar establishes new park system to protect lemurs, benefit people (1/17/2006) Madagascar has created a new agency for managing the parks of the Indian Ocean island nation. The System of Protected Areas of Madagascar, or SAPM, simplifies the legal process used to create a protected areas, while providing for flexibility for local people to earn a living from conservation activities.

Lemur hunting persists in Madagascar, rare primates fall victim to hunger (7/17/2005) While it has been illegal to kill or keep lemurs as pets since 1964, lemurs are hunted where they are not protected by local taboos. Many lemurs are particularly easy targets for hunting because evolution has rendered them ecologically naive in that without natural predators over the majority of their existence, they are less fearful than they should be. Madagascar lemurs descended from single primate ancestor, finds study (7/11/2005) Yale biologists have managed to extract and analyze DNA from giant, extinct lemurs, according to a Yale study published in a recent issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Evolutionary analysis of the DNA obtained from the extinct giants reveals that they, like the living lemurs, are descended from a single primate ancestor that colonized Madagascar more than 60 million years ago. Dancing lemur attracts tourists to island of Madagascar (5/30/2005) In the dry deciduous forests of south western Madagascar there lives a lemur that loudly cusses but "dances" like a ballet performer.

Verreaux's sifaka is among the most popular of lemur species, a group of primates endemic to islands off the southeastern coast of Africa. While threatened, Verreaux's sifaka is easily spotted is several of Madagascar's more accessible parks. Rainforest Canopy - Primates (3/1/2005) Primates are characteristic of every continental rainforest realm, except for the Australasian realm, and are made up of nearly 200 living species in more than 50 genera. Primates are thought to have originated from their insectivore-like ancestors between 100 million and 65 million years ago. The ancient primates most resembled lemurs and the tarsier of today, and upper primates did not appear until 37 to 23 million years ago. Upper primates include monkeys, apes, chimps, and humans, and the non-human species are generally divided into Old World monkeys and New World monkeys. Lemur links Duke University's Lemur taxa - includes extinct lemur species Find a mistake? Want to submit pictures or content?

Contact WildMadagascar.org Island of Lemurs: Madagascar: Film Review | Hollywood Reporter Island of Lemurs: Madagascar: Film Review 6:00 AM PDT 4/1/2014 by Sheri Linden Spectacular 3D camerawork illuminates a fascinating nature story of striking specifics and broad implications. TWITTER Imax gets up close and personal with Madagascar’s endemic, endangered lemurs. Cartoon-cute and epic-heroic, the lemur proves a charismatic subject, more than ready for its giant-screen close-up, in the latest edutainment feature from Imax. Island of Lemurs: Madagascar is light on nature-film factoids about the lithe mammal’s daily nitty-gritty; instead, director-cinematographer David Douglas and writer Drew Fellman offer a dazzling introduction, both immersive and sweeping, to one of the planet’s oldest primates (who knew?). With its 3D imagery and concise narration, delivered with avuncular warmth by Morgan Freeman, the film provides a streamlined overview of lemurs’ singular survival story and their not so unique present-day endangerment. It’s also a collection of vivid lemur portraits, across a vast range of species and personalities.

Urgent but never hectoring, the lessons in conservation and biodiversity are fully felt. The film will undoubtedly inspire young future scientists and more than a few grownups to delve further into the topic of lemurs — whose name derives from the Latin for “wandering spirit,” Freeman tells us — and the island nation off the coast of Africa that has been their only home for millions of years. An Imax vet whose credits include Born to Be Wild, Douglas availed himself of a relatively lightweight new-generation camera to capture the first aerial footage shot in Imax 3D (rather than converted in postproduction) — all the better to view Madagascar’s varied terrain, from spiny forests to rocky outcrops to lush green rainforest, and to follow lemurs leaping through the canopy with nothing short of gusto. STORY: 'Island of Lemurs: Madagascar' Premiere: Morgan Freeman and Lemurs Steal the Show The remoteness of many of the locations and the massiveness of the undertaking are suggested by the scope of the finished product rather than by directly addressing the logistics, as some wildlife movies make a point of doing.

Douglas is more concerned with creating indelible impressions — a goal he achieves, with Peter Thillaye’s sound design, rich with ocean breeze and insect whir, an essential component of the you-are-there experience. The marriage of 3D and Imax makes possible a sensory immediacy that Island of Lemurs uses to strong effect, zeroing in on a number of species, from the tiny mouse lemur to the large indri. In riveting close-up, the texture of fur is all but tangible; the sea green of an infant’s eyes is breathtaking; the indri's lips form a crimson curve around the vowels of a choral wail. In appreciative long take, there’s the springy step of the ringtail and the infectious bounding locomotion, or “dance,” of the sifaka. The story of the lemurs, all of them matriarchal and indigenous to Madagascar, is the story of 60 million years of flourishing and diversification, followed by 2,000 years of habitat degradation caused by human settlement.

Using a stateside population of captive lemurs and green-screen effects for the opening sequence, Douglas convincingly re-enacts their creation story: castaways in a storm, drifting toward Madagascar, their Eden. That they enjoyed a predator-free life for many eons is no doubt etched in their genetic memory, and perhaps finds expression in the way they hang from branches or lounge around, bellies to the sun and not a care in the world. STORY: Morgan Freeman's 'Wormhole' Among Science Channel's Alien-Themed Programming Week (Exclusive) But the film, in its sprightly way, makes clear that there’s plenty to worry about, with the lemurs threatened by the loss of vast swaths of rainforest to agriculture. The filmmakers find beacons of hope in a couple of longtime field researchers: Hantanirina Rasamimanana, a Malagasy native, and American primatologist Patricia C. Wright. A dramatic highlight is the matchmaking project Wright oversees, designed to boost the dwindling numbers of the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur.

Douglas catches Wright’s hopeful sigh as the experiment gets under way, and, quite affectingly, witnesses the first time she gets to hold one of the animals after years of championing and communing with them. A brief glimpse of villagers offers hope, too, alluding to growing eco-consciousness among the younger generation. The dire warnings are succinct and clear, but Douglas accentuates the positive. Helping to maintain the upbeat mood is Mark Mothersbaugh’s playful score, as well as delightful Malagasy versions of such pop classics as “Be My Baby” and “I Will Survive,” recorded by Hanitrarivo Rasoanaivo & Tarika. Like the eloquent visuals, the music conveys the joy of observing the lemurs in action. Opens: Friday, April 4 (Warner Bros.) Production: Imax Entertainment Featuring: Patricia C. Wright, Hantanirina Rasamimanana Director: David Douglas Primate Factsheets: Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) Conservation (Click on species name to see IUCN Red List entry, including detailed status assessment information.) Photo: Herbert Gustafson Madagascar is often considered the single highest priority conservation area on Earth.

The only other island with more endemic species is Australia, which is 13 times the size of Madagascar (Mittermeier et al. 1994). While ring-tailed lemurs are not the most threatened prosimians in Madagascar, they certainly are among the most recognizable and preserving them is necessary because of their role as a flagship species (Mittermeier et al. 1992). The threats facing ring-tailed lemurs in the wild are not unique, like many other threatened primates, habitat destruction and hunting are causing the wild population to dwindle (Mittermeier et al. 1994). CONSERVATION THREATS & POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS Threat: Human-Induced Habitat Loss and Degradation Since the arrival of humans on Madagascar approximately 2000 years ago, roughly 80% of the total forest cover has been lost due to extraction of precious hardwoods, fuelwood and other products as well as to clear land for agricultural and grazing lands (Mittermeier et al. 1994).

Specifically, in the southwest, forest loss can be attributed to supplying urban centers with fuel wood, charcoal, and construction wood for the quickly growing human population (Fenn 2003). Forests are also destroyed by fires ignited to clear grasslands (Harcourt and Thornback 1990). At higher elevations, where the soil quality is much better, the forests on which ring-tailed lemurs depend are threatened by slash-and-burn agriculture, fires that burn uncontrollably, and exploitation of firewood (Mittermeier et al. 1992). Ring-tailed lemurs depend on gallery forests and open forests with tamarind trees to survive the harsh seasonal environmental conditions (Jolly et al. 2002; Mertl-Millhollen et al. 2003). Population density is directly linked to habitat quality, and as these forests are destroyed, ring-tailed lemurs are unable to recover efficiently (Sussman 1991; Sussman et al. 2003).

Focusing on conserving these resources is necessary because if they are altered too drastically or destroyed completely, ring-tailed lemurs are not likely to survive (Mittermeier et al. 1994). Potential Solutions Fortunately, ring-tailed lemurs occur in all of the protected areas within their range. Many of these preserves offer differing levels of protection, though, and focused conservation efforts should revolve around increasing awareness of the seemingly common species that is in reality, threatened (Mittermeier et al. 1994). Another important conservation strategy has been undertaken at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve. Authorities there, with the help of Yale University, have worked to develop and promote the site as a research and training center for international students as well as local people. They also collaborate with local communities to ensure long-term conservation of the unique fauna and flora. Everyone from school children to college students and professionals have been trained in research activities at Beza Mahafaly, focusing on applied field biology as well as management of natural resources (Ratsirarson 2003). In the peripheral zones of the reserve, livestock breeding and management occurs, alleviating some of the pressure of traditional patterns of clearing land and grazing.

Furthermore, Beza Mahafaly is being developed to attract tourists interested in enjoying the regions unique flora and fauna, bringing economic opportunity to the people living near and within the reserve. Empowering local communities to become actively involved in conservation of this and other reserves are driving forces in maintaining habitat for ring-tailed lemurs and other Malagasy primates (Ratsirarson 2003). Threat: Harvesting (hunting/gathering) In some regions, ring-tailed lemurs are hunted with dogs for food. They are also kept as pets (Mittermeier et al. 1992). Potential Solutions Though the more serious threat to ring-tailed lemurs is human-induced habitat loss, the success of captive breeding programs could be important to restocking forested areas if hunting pressure becomes too great and ring-tailed lemur populations drop significantly. Easily bred and raised in captivity, there are about 2000 ring-tailed lemurs in zoos around the world ( ). This large population can serve as source lemurs to be reintroduced if necessary. Experimental release programs on St.

Catherine's Island, Georgia reveal that captive ring-tailed lemurs released into a natural environment readily adapt to their new environment and begin to exhibit the broad repertoire of behaviors seen in wild ring-tailed lemurs (Keith-Lucas et al. 1999). At this time, release programs are not part of the conservation plan for ring-tailed lemurs in Madagascar , but knowing how captive animals will adapt to natural conditions maintains release as a future option, if necessary. Threat: Natural Disasters Drought is a periodic but serious concern in southern Madagascar. Where rainfall levels are scarce in normal years, in years of drought, the near absence of rain has had serious consequences for ring-tailed lemurs (Gould et al. 1999). From 1991 to 1992, a severe drought was responsible for higher than normal mortality rates among females and infants and changed the demographic make-up of the subpopulation at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve. Two years after the end of the drought, the adult population of ring-tailed lemurs had decreased by 31%, but within four years, the population seemed to be recovering.

Decreases in food resources and subsequent malnourishment are thought to be the primary cause of population decline during and after a drought (Gould et al. 1999). Potential Solutions While nothing can be done to prevent a naturally occurring drought, researchers at Berenty Private Reserve noted that during the same time period, ring-tailed lemurs were not as adversely affected because of provisioning practices. At Berenty, where tourism is the major source of income, ring-tailed lemurs have access to introduced fruit trees and ornamental vegetation in addition to watering troughs (Simmen et al. 2003). Researchers must make a difficult choice in the future whether or not to allow the natural population fluctuations caused by severe drought to occur or to supplement populations suffering from inadequate resources as was done at Berenty. Ring-tailed lemurs have high levels of fecundity and their reproductive patterns probably evolved because of the harsh environment in which they live (Jolly 2003). Unless there are serious concerns for the survival of the population, it is likely that nothing will be done to interfere with natural catastrophes such as drought.

Threat: Intrinsic Factors When small subpopulations are isolated from one another because of some sort of barrier, limited dispersal can lead to inbreeding and a host of associated problems (Sussman et al. 2003). Additionally, natural disasters may have more serious effects on small populations (Gould et al. 1999). Maintaining gene flow between subpopulations of ring-tailed lemurs is necessary to ensure their long-term viability in the wild and their ability to deal with the harsh environment of southern Madagascar. Potential Solutions The forest cover remaining in southern Madagascar is patchy, at best. Many forest patches have been protected because of their sacred spiritual value to local peoples (Sussman et al. 2003). These have no official government protection, but they exist, undisturbed, and are often quite good habitat for ring-tailed lemurs. Focusing conservation efforts on reconnecting these 1400 forest patches and making the most of their cultural status could be one way to preserve more land for ring-tailed lemurs and create contiguous corridors between patches to stimulate gene flow.

LINKS TO MORE ABOUT CONSERVATION CONSERVATION INFORMATION Lemurs in Madagascar :: Saint Louis Zoo Lemurs in Madagascar Center for Conservation in Madagascar Center for Conservation in Madagascar Location: Madagascar Project Manager: Dr. Eric Miller Vice Chair: Ingrid Porton (MFG) Species: Lemurs Priority: High Background To achieve our goal to conserve Madagascar’s unique and globally important biodiversity, the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Conservation in Madagascar joined with the Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG). The Saint Louis Zoo was a founding member of this international consortium of zoos and other institutions. Formed in 1988, MFG works to help conserve the island’s animal species through reproduction, field research and training programs for rangers and wardens, and through acquisition and protection of native habitat on the island. In 2003, Saint Louis Zoo staff assumed the chairmanship of MFG and its international office was moved to our Zoo. MFG’s work is among the highest of conservation priorities because many of Madagascar’s animal and plant species, like the highly endangered lemur, are found nowhere else in the world.

This species ranges from the pygmy mouse lemur weighing only one ounce, to the long-legged sifaka that can weigh up to 15 pounds. While lemurs are the most easily recognized Malagasy animals at the Saint Louis Zoo, we also exhibit tomato frogs, leaf-tailed and Madagascar geckos, the radiated tortoise, giant hissing cockroaches and other species. In creating an organization to save this and other species, the MFG was ahead of its time in realizing that combining financial resources under one umbrella significantly increases the in-situ conservation impact of any one institution. About Madagascar The fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar is approximately the size of California. Its landscape varies widely from humid tropical rainforests on the east coast to dry scrub forests in the south to rugged mountains in the north. Its isolation and varied habitats enabled the evolution of animal and plant species that are unique to Madagascar. Over 95 percent of the reptiles, frogs and freshwater fish, an endemic family of insectivores and four primate families (all lemurs) are endemic to the island. Although rich in biodiversity, Madagascar has been historically recognized as one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world.

Conservationists are faced with the dual challenge of helping increase the Malagasy people’s standard of living, while combating factors that contribute to environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. With the doubling of the human population on the island over the past 20 years, 85 percent of the original forest area has disappeared. There has been significant habitat fragmentation and erosion-related siltation of the island’s rivers and lakes. This habitat loss/degradation is the primary reason so many of Madagascar’s endemic species are threatened with extinction. St. Louis Interest The Saint Louis Zoo has a long history of managing and developing husbandry expertise with lemur species. The Zoo's animal management, veterinary and research staff have assumed leading roles in the science of endangered species reintroduction techniques through the release of captive ruffed lemurs into Betampona. This expertise will help future reintroductions for similar primates. MFG's Conservation Strategies Much of MFG’s success can be attributed to maintaining an in-country office and staff who can evaluate, recommend and monitor projects.

During the more than two decades that MFG has worked in Madagascar, the organization has pursued four key strategies in carrying out its conservation mission: conducting research, building capacity, providing education and taking action by working with the Malagasy people on conservation initiatives. Conducting Research Conservation medicine is a relatively new discipline that integrates human, environmental and wildlife health. In 2000, Saint Louis Zoo veterinary staff began a health survey of wild lemurs in Madagascar. Collecting basic data on health parameters and disease in multiple species over time and in different environments allows conservation biologists and veterinarians to understand the ecology of diseases. Many studies have shown that as fragmented habitats shrink and animal population densities increase, disease is one factor that can cause local extinction of animals. For this reason, understanding and monitoring lemur diseases is an important component of species’ conservation efforts. Building Capacity Perhaps nothing is more important than building the capacity of Malagasy institutions and people. Under MFG, the Saint Louis Zoo is playing a particularly significant role in advancing this by funding the construction of the Ivoloina Conservation Training Center (ICTC). This facility was identified by Malagasy leaders as a priority for educating natural resource managers and biologists.

The number of students, teachers, farmers and others using these facilities is increasing, because the hands-on field and laboratory training offered at ICTC are rare in Madagascar. For example, the Saint Louis Zoo’s WildCare Institute has supported a Ph.D. candidate in researching the most effective and least environmentally detrimental way to remove the highly invasive guava plant from Betampona Natural Reserve. This is critically important to managing this and other island reserves. Providing Education MFG’s Environmental Education program includes formal and informal activities for primary and secondary school children. We also tailor environmental messages for adults through nationally celebrated festivals, radio spots, newsletters and posters. Networking with local community leaders has enabled MFG to become an increasingly important voice in the communities we serve. Taking Action MFG is working with local villagers to restore Betampona’s Zone of Protection. A forest’s edge is subject to the brunt of weather conditions, encroachment of invasive plants, pollution and human disturbances. Degradation of the edge creates a new edge leading to a cycle of forest loss.

Reforestation of the Zone is an important conservation initiative to protect the integrity of Betampona’s 2,223-hectare (5,575-acre) lowland rainforest and the large number of animal and plant species that inhabit the reserve. Partners Madagascar | Animals, People, and Threats | WWF Browse Photos & Videos h Species A dizzying range of plants and animals make their home on the island. More than 11,000 endemic plant species, including seven species of baobab tree, share the island with a vast variety of mammal, reptiles, amphibians, and others. From 1999 to 2010, scientists discovered 615 new species in Madagascar, including 41 mammals and 61 reptiles. Madagascar has several critically threatened species including the Silky Sifaka, a lemur, which is one of the rarest mammals on earth. Its name—“angel of the forest"—refers to its white fur. Another threatened species, the rare Ploughshare tortoise, is found only in a small area of northwestern Madagascar where as few as 1,000 of these animals survive.

Ploughshare tortoises can be sold illegally for up to $200,000 on exotic pet markets. People & Communities Vanilla farmers in Madagascar. The diversity of the island is seen everywhere. Madagascar is home to more than 21 million people with a wide array of faiths and customs. The Malagasy (as the people of Madagascar are known) are descendents of settlers from Borneo and East Africa and draw their cultural heritage from Southeast Asia, India, Africa, and the Middle East. More than 20 ethnic groups coexist on the island. Their common language, also called Malagasy, is most closely related to a language spoken in southeast Borneo. A majority of the population—80 percent of which is estimated to live below the poverty line—depends on subsistence farming for survival. Threats Madagascar’s stunning species and unique habitats are threatened by demands from today’s global markets and from the growing needs of the local population. Illegal Wildlife Trade For the unique species of the island, loss of vital habitat is a disaster and the increased access to species has also exacerbated the international trade in Madagascar’s wildlife.

Today, many animals and plants are threatened, with rosewood trees, tortoises, chameleons, geckos and snakes the most targeted by traffickers. What WWF Is Doing WWF aims to protect, restore and maintain Madagascar’s unique biodiversity in harmony with the culture and livelihoods of the local people. We work closely with governments, scientists, industry and local communities on several areas that present the best opportunities to secure the future for the island’s people and species. Protecting the Dry and Spiny Forests WWF has developed a plan to address immediate threats to Madagascar’s southernmost forests and help local communities manage their natural resources more sustainably. Sustaining Livelihoods of Coastal Communities WWF works with traditional fishermen and government authorities to manage marine and coastal resources so that they not only contribute to conservation but also benefit local communities. Adapting to Climate Change WWF helps decision makers, technical officers, and local authorities to develop and implement responsive strategies to protect local communities and natural ecosystems from the expected impacts of climate change. Madagascar -- A World Apart: Creature Features What's a Lemur? By Dr.

Kenneth Glander Ask the person next to you what a lemur is and he or she may not even know it's an animal. Someone more acquainted with the tree-hopping, furry creatures might guess they're related to squirrels or cats. But the truth is, lemurs are more closely related to you and me. Lemurs are primates, an order that includes monkeys, apes and humans. There are approximately 32 different types of lemurs in existence today, all of which are endemic to Madagascar; a single island country off the southeast coast of Africa. In order to understand the differences between lemurs and other primates, it helps to go down a level. Primates can be broken into two suborders: anthropoids and prosimians. Monkeys, apes and humans are anthropoids. Lemurs are prosimians. Other prosimians include galgoes (bushbabies) found in Africa, lorises found in Asia, and tarsiers found in Borneo and the Philippines. Unlike all other primates, prosimians have moist noses and rely on their sense of smell to determine what is safe to eat and to distinguish between individuals in their social groups.

Like other primates, prosimians groom themselves and their acquaintances, but because prosimians can't use their fingers in the same way, they use their teeth as a comb. In prosimian species, females play the dominant role. They get the best food choices in the wild, defend the group and choose with whom they mate. Prosimians are those primates that evolved before the anthropoids. The first prosimian appears in the fossil record about 55 million years ago, the first monkey about 45 million years ago, and the first ape about 35 million years ago. Before the appearance of anthropoids, prosimians were quite prevalent. Their fossils have been discovered in all corners of the world, including Europe, Asia, Egypt and even in the northwestern United States. While Madagascar broke away from Africa more than 120 million years ago, it's puzzling to scientists that lemurs evolved only 55 million years ago. One of the theories of how lemurs got to Madagascar is that they rafted there on clumps of vegetation. Once monkeys and apes appeared, day-time active prosimians were out-competed and disappeared.

Only night-time active prosimians occur outside of Madagascar because there are no nocturnal monkeys or apes in those regions (except for the night monkey in South America). Since humans arrived on the island of Madagascar, approximately 1,200 to 1,500 years ago, 16 species of lemurs have become extinct, most likely due to habitat destruction and hunting by humans. The largest of the extinct lemurs was known as Archaeoindris and was about the size of a male gorilla. Some of these extinct lemurs were ground dwelling while others lived in the trees and moved very much like sloths. Generally, those species now extinct were among the largest and most slow moving of all lemurs. In 1987, World Wildlife International declared that the lemurs are the most gravely endangered group of primates in the world. Since 1991, Dr. Kenneth E. Glander has been the Director of the Duke University Primate Center in North Carolina. Duke's Primate Center is the world's leading facility dedicated to prosimian primates. Madagascar -- A World Apart: Eden Evolution Isolation and Biodiversity By Dr.

Laurie Godfrey About 300 miles east of southern Africa, across the Mozambique Channel, lies the island of Madagascar. Best known for its lemurs (primitive relatives of monkeys, apes, and humans), colorful chameleons, stunning orchids, and towering baobab trees, Madagascar is home to some of the world's most unique flora and fauna. Almost all of Madagascar's reptile and amphibian species, half of its birds, and all of its lemurs are endemic to the island; meaning they can be found nowhere else on earth. Madagascar is unusual not only for its endemic species, but also for the species that are conspicuously absent. Because of Madagascar's geographic isolation, many groups of plants and animals are entirely absent from the island. Some groups are represented only by species very recently introduced by humans. Missing on the island are the many species of large mammals  antelopes, elephants, zebras, camels, giraffes, hyenas, lions and cheetahs  that roam continental Africa today. The only large African mammal that made it to Madagascar prior to the arrival of humans several thousand years ago was the hippopotamus.

Hippos, similar to those that occupy the Nile River basin today, apparently swam to Madagascar sometime during the Tertiary era. Their descendants underwent dwarfing and evolved into species unique to the island. This distinctive biodiversity is a result of Madagascar's geographic isolation. Geologists believe that 165 million years ago Madagascar was connected to Africa, but began to drift away from the continent sometime during the next 15 million years. Paleontologists exploring Madagascar's Mesozoic era deposits have found the bones of dinosaurs, early birds and mammals. However, most of the groups of mammals and other terrestrial fauna that are well represented on Madagascar today had not evolved when Madagascar first split from continental Africa. It is believed that the ancestors of these animals (including at least one species of primitive primates) arrived on this great island after having crossed large expanses of ocean by rafting on floating logs or matted vegetation. The subsequent adaptive radiation of these taxonomic groups is what makes Madagascar so special. The animal and plant life of this great island is largely the result of a natural experiment in evolution on a land apart, but very much like our own. The Arrival of Humans People first came to Madagascar in boats about 2000 years ago.

The oldest human-modified bones of extinct species appear in the fossil record at this time. Charcoal signals, found in lake sediments, increased dramatically during this period -- indicating an increase in fires. Pollen profiles, read from lake sediment cores, reveal the arrival of introduced plants, including marijuana. Archaeologists believe that Madagascar may have been an important stopping point along a trade route that ran from southeast Asia to east Africa. The cultural practices of the Malagasy people reflect their mixed Asiatic and African roots. These dual roots are evident in the ceremony of exhuming, rewrapping, and reburying the skeletal remains of revered ancestors; rice paddy agriculture; cattle husbandry; and the Malagasy language itselfspoken by people who live in the interior of Borneo. Evolving into Oblivion When humans first arrived on Madagascar, there were at least 50 lemur species living on the island, the largest of which rivaled the body mass of a male gorilla or orangutan. Not one of the 33 lemur species that still survive on the island is as large as the smallest of the lemurs that disappeared from Madagascar during the past several millennia.

Along with the giant lemurs, Madagascar was populated by other megafauna that have also since vanished. There were huge tortoises, giant predatory raptors, and pygmy hippopotamuses. There were gigantic flightless birds called elephant birds. These birds were larger than any other birds - living or extinct. They were heavier than the famous 10-foot-tall moas of New Zealand. The eggs of elephant birds could hold the fluid contents of about 180 chicken eggs! There were no cats or dogs on Madagascar; rather there were strange primitive carnivores (mongooses, civets, and cryptoprocts), including one that weighed more than 10 kilograms. Over the past 2000 years, all of Madagascar's large endemic animals became extinct, and it is estimated that less than 3% of what was once a huge expanse of western deciduous forest exists today. Madagascar's unusual endemism makes it one of the world's top conservation priorities. But its endemic plants and animals continue to suffer from practices such as slash-and-burn agriculture and the harvesting of woody plants for charcoal and timber. Grasses are often deliberately burned to stimulate the growth of fresh blades to feed the cattle.

Wild animals are sometimes also hunted. Because of the tremendous endemicity and wealth of plant and animal species on Madagascar, conservationists believe that forest destruction here may have a greater negative impact on global biodiversity than anywhere else on earth. Subfossil Finds Cave, marsh, and stream sites have yielded the bones of animals that lived on the great island prior to colonization by humans and during the past two millennia. These subfossil sites, so-called because the bones are too fresh to have become fossilized, provide some direct evidence of the history of the long and slow decimation of Madagascar's wildlife following the arrival of humans. Recent explorations of some of these subfossil sites by a team from Duke University (North Carolina) and associated scientists (from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and the University of Madagascar in Antananarivo) have added enormously to our knowledge of the anatomy and adaptations of Madagascar's paleofauna. These scientists have explored, among other sites, the 110 kilometers of caves at the Ankarana mountains in northern Madagascar, and a pit called Ankilitelo that descends almost 500 feet deep in southwestern Madagascar.

The subfossil sites contain the bones of elephant birds, pygmy hippopotamuses, giant tortoises and at least 17 species of extinct lemurs. The oldest radiocarbon-dated bones of extinct lemurs are about 12,000-26,000 years old. The most recent are only 1000-500 years old -- proof that giant lemurs survived human occupation of the island by at least 1,500 years. There is also some circumstantial evidence that pygmy hippos may have been alive as recently as 100 years ago. Extinct Giants Fossil studies have concluded that the giant extinct lemurs of Madagascar were an extraordinarily diverse group. There was a giant aye-aye, a relative of the living aye-aye, but three to five times as heavy. Both living and extinct aye-ayes possess an elongated third digit and enormous rodent-like incisors  adaptations for extracting grubs and insect larvae from tunnels in dead wood. The robust extinct aye-aye is the only extinct lemur that clearly belongs to a non-extinct genus.

Megaladapis was an orangutan-sized lemur with teeth very like those of the living sportive lemur (Lepilemur). Unlike the Lepilemur, however, Megaladapis had a long muzzle and widely separated eyes --very uncharacteristic of primates! Its feet were enormous pincer-like grasping devices. Its forelimbs were long and robust. Paleontologists believe that it climbed trees like koalas and subsisted almost entirely on a diet of leaves. The Sloth lemurs, so named because of its remarkable convergences with tree-dwelling sloth of South and Central America, had crania and teeth that suggest a close relationship with some living lemurs (indris, sifakas, and avahis). The largest of the sloth lemurs was the gorilla-sized Archaeoindris, which probably spent a large amount of time on the ground. The most specialized was Palaeopropithecus, a chimpanzee-sized lemur with teeth like those of the sifaka, but bodies like those of arboreal sloths. These upside-down animals had long forelimbs and short hindlimbs, and enormous, hook-like hands and feet.

Advancing the Research Thanks to the development of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques, it is now possible to extract ancient DNA from the bones of subfossil lemurs. DNA samples are currently being analyzed in a laboratory at Northwestern University in Chicago. These methods will be used to test hypotheses of evolutionary relationship that were derived from the analysis of the skeletal morphology of extant and extinct lemurs. Dr. Laurie Godfrey has been involved with paleontological fieldwork in Madagascar since the mid-1980's. She received her PhD in biological anthropology at Harvard University in 1977, and currently teaches anthropology at the University of Massachesetts in Amherst. Ring-Tailed Lemur Facts: Animals of Africa - WorldAtlas.com Ring-Tailed Lemur Facts: Animals of Africa Ring-tailed lemurs are an Endangered species endemic to the island nation of Madagascar. Adult Ring-tailed lemur female eating fruit while carrying her child. 5. Physical Description The Ring-Tailed Lemur is a primate with a long, conspicuous, bushy, black and white ringed tail.

Its dense fur is grayish-brown on its back, and grey on the rump and limbs.The Ring-Tailed Lemur's underparts are a mixture of white, grey, and cream colors, according to the ARKive Initiative (AI). Its face is white, and its eyes are surrounded by dark patches. The Ring-Tailed Lemur's dog-like snout, nose, lips, and eyelids are dark, though its furred ears are white. The upper part of its forelimbs are covered by grayish-white fur, and their paws and feet are dark. The adult Ring-Tailed Lemur weighs 5 to 5.7 pounds, its tail length is 55 centimeters, and its head and body length is between 38.5 and 45.5 centimeters, according to National Geographic (NG). 4. Diet The Ring-Tailed Lemur is an opportunistic omnivore in order to exploit any food sources available, due to the hostile habitats it lives in. It feeds on fruits, leaves, flowers, stems, spiders, caterpillars, cicadas, insect cocoons, birds, chameleons, and grasshoppers.

However, the primary food of its choice diet is the tamarind's pod fruit and leaves, which at certain times of the year provides up to 50 percent of their food, according to research conducted by the National Primate Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For water, the Ring-Tailed Lemur takes dew and water from tree holes or crevices in wet seasons, and feeds on succulents such as aloe and cactus to receive moisture in dry seasons. 3. Habitat and Range Unlike other lemurs, the Ring-Tailed Lemur tolerates a wider range of habitats. The island of Madagascar is where the Ring-Tailed Lemur is found, in extreme hot, dry, and cold environments alike. According to ARKive Initiative, its populations there are spread across spiny forests, lowland gallery forests, dry deciduous forests, rainforests, rocky canyons, and dry scrublands. The Ring-Tailed Lemur is classified as an "Endangered" species, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN's) 2014 Red List.

The IUCN attributes their population decline mainly to habitat loss caused by felling of trees for fuel, overgrazing of domesticated animals, and hunting of them for food and to keep as pets. Frequent droughts are also further diminishing their populations. 2. Behavior Ring-Tailed Lemurs live in groups called "troops". A troop has 6 to 30 animals, but on average has 17 male and female Ring-Tailed Lemurs, according to National Geographic. Each troop is dominated by a powerful female. These lemurs have powerful scent glands, and use their odors to communicate or as a defense mechanism. The Ring-Tailed Lemur marks its territory by scent, giving notice to others smelling it. When other packs of lemurs cross a territory, there will often be territorial fights to ensue. Researchers have observed that, after cold nights or mornings, the Ring-Tailed Lemur will assume a “sunning” posture, where it exposes its underside to direct sunlight, possibly for thermoregulation. 1. Reproduction Sexual maturity for a Ring-Tailed Lemur begins at 2.5 to 3 years of age. Males assert their dominance by trying to outstink each other.

They cover their long tails with smelly secretions, and wave them in the air to show power and attract females. After mating, their gestation period takes 4.5 months, according to Smithsonian National Zoological Park. A female typically gives birth to only one infant, though twins are also a possibilty. For two weeks, the infant clings to its mother's belly, and therefater will ride upon her back. In the wild, a Ring-Tailed Lemur can live on average 18 years. This page was last modified on February 10, 2016. On WorldAtlas.com

Question: The lemur is endemic to which island?
Answer: Madagascar