Basic Facts About Lemurs Lemurs are small primates known as "prosimians," which, roughly translated, means "pre-primates" or "before monkeys." Native only to the island of Madagascar and the neighboring Comoro Islands, lemurs resemble the oldest ancestors of primates which existed tens of millions of years ago. Lemur Species Exact classification of some types of lemurs is a subject of debate, but it's generally accepted that there are five families of lemurs with about a dozen genera and just over 30 living species. Some species of lemurs are now extinct, including one ancient lemur said to be as large as a gorilla — over 400 pounds. Some prosimian species contain a number of subspecies, all with distinct characteristics, which brings the total types of living lemurs to around 50. Today's lemur species range in size from the tiny pygmy mouse lemur, weighing in at about an ounce, to the 15-pound indri lemur and the sifaka, which are both about the size of a standard house cat. Living Arrangements Most lemurs are arboreal, living in trees.

They spend most of their time at the top of the rainforest canopy or in the forest midlevel. An exception is the ring-tailed lemur, which spends most of its time on the ground. The majority of lemurs are also diurnal, awake during the day and asleep at night — especially those that live in groups, including the ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, and sifakas. The smaller mouse lemurs and dwarf lemurs are nocturnal, preferring to be active in the relative safety of nighttime darkness. The aye-aye, a fascinating lemur with an elongated, claw-like middle finger which it uses to dig insects out of tree bark, is also nocturnal, and is often feared by the Malagasy people of its native Madagascar because of its unusual appearance. Lemur females are dominant. A group of lemurs usually has one dominant female who leads the group, controls their movement, and has first choice of food and mates. Common parts of a lemur diet in the wild include fruits, leaves, and other edible plant materials. Insects may also be on the menu, especially for the smaller lemurs.

Physical Features Unlike some other primates, lemurs do not have prehensile tails (they cannot hang by their tails from trees like monkeys) but they do have long, wet noses. Lemurs have a keen sense of smell and they also have good vision, even at night. Their thumbs and big toes are opposable, but they mainly use their teeth and an extended "toilet claw" on the second toe of their hind feet for grooming. Island of Lemurs | TIME For Kids Island of Lemurs A new IMAX documentary tells the story of Madagascar’s endangered primate species April 04, 2014 Print DREW FELLMAN—WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC Mouse lemurs, like all lemurs, are native to Madagascar. They are some of the smallest primates in the world. Madagascar is a unique and spectacular place. The island nation is located off the eastern coast of southern Africa, in the Indian Ocean. Its landscape is expansive and lush, and it is home to some of Earth’s most precious primates—lemurs. Lemurs landed on Madagascar as castaways more than 60 million years ago.

Scientists believe that a small group of lemurs was washed out to sea during a storm, and drifted to Madagascar on a floating piece of vegetation. When the critters arrived on the island, they took over and grew into hundreds of different species. Unfortunately, only a few lemur species are left in Madagascar. More than 90% of the island’s forests have been destroyed, and the number of lemur species has been reduced to less than 20. Because these creatures are so close to extinction, humans must step in to help. (For more on threatened and endangered animals, view TFK's Disappearing Animals slide show .) A new 3D IMAX documentary called “Island of Lemurs: Madagascar,” hopes to create awareness about this important issue. Directed by David Douglas and written and produced by Drew Fellman, the film follows the work of Dr. Patricia Wright, a primatologist and scientist dedicated to preserving lemurs and their natural habitat. With stunning aerial shots of the island and a close-up look at the lives of these peculiar little creatures, the movie takes viewers along on Dr. Wright’s amazing exploration. TFK spoke with Dr.

Wright about how she fell in love with lemurs, her first journey to Madagascar, and her tireless efforts to protect these precious primates. DREW FELLMAN—WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC Dr. Wright stands surrounded by some of her lemur pals while studying in Madagascar. TFK: Before you began as a primatologist, you were a social worker. How did you make the transition from helping humans to helping lemurs? DR. PATRICIA WRIGHT: Originally, I was always an animal lover. I learned many things about people while doing social work. It was later that I became intrigued with a little monkey I saw at a pet store. This was at a time where you could buy monkeys as pets, which you cannot do anymore. But now, working in Madagascar, having that social-work background has been very helpful. I love working with the people and villages around the park. It’s been very rewarding not only to work with the lemurs of Madagascar, but with the people of Madagascar. TFK: Was the primate you saw in a pet store that day a lemur? WRIGHT: It wasn’t a lemur at all! It was a little monkey from South America.

TFK: There are hundreds of different species of primates. What made you interested in lemurs? WRIGHT: I became very fascinated with the lifestyle of the monkey I saw at the pet store, and I ended up going to graduate school for primatology. First, I studied in the Amazon. But when I went to Madagascar for the first time, and saw lemurs and followed them around, I just fell in love with them. They’re wonderful, wonderful animals. And that was about 28 years ago! So I’ve been in Madagascar studying lemurs for a long time. TFK: You’ve taken a special interest in a species of lemur called the greater bamboo lemur. Why? WRIGHT: When I first found out about the greater bamboo lemur, I was looking at a skull found in a cave way up north. They are part of a group of lemurs that had gone extinct maybe 500 years ago, so we didn’t know whether this one was extinct or not. So I came to Madagascar to try and search for them, and see whether or not they were alive. It was a wonderful day when I saw my first greater bamboo lemur alive.

At first I was drawn to them just because I was searching for animals I wanted to make sure weren’t extinct, but once I began to know them, and really follow them and see their personalities, I found they are extraordinary and spunky creatures. And they talk all the time between each other! They love bamboo and sometimes they fight over bamboo stalks. It’s just amusing, great fun to watch. TFK: Did it take a while for them to acclimate to your presence? WRIGHT: It took months and years to get to the point where I could watch them. They are very shy and difficult to see, because they can disappear and stand absolutely still for hours hiding. You think they must have gone, but they are actually there! It’s a hide-and-seek game. Once they decided we weren’t the enemy, it became much easier. TFK: How did it feel when you got to hold one for the first time? WRIGHT: They are such beautiful animals, and to watch them for so long and then suddenly have them in your arms is a wonderful feeling. DREW FELLMAN—WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. A ring-tailed lemur perches on a tree branch.

TFK: What is Madagascar like? WRIGHT: It’s the fourth largest island in the world! It’s about 1,000 miles long and about 350 miles wide. The people are like nowhere else either—their ancestors came from Asia and Africa, and they are all Malagasy and make up one country for one big island.

TFK: Lemur (Lemur Catta) - Animals - A-Z Animals Five groups that classify all living things Animalia A group of animals within the animal kingdom Chordata A group of animals within a pylum Mammalia A group of animals within a class Primates A group of animals within an order Lemuridae Comprised of the genus followed by the species Lemur Catta The animal group that the species belongs to Mammal What kind of foods the animal eats Omnivore How long (L) or tall (H) the animal is 9-100cm (3.2-39in) The measurement of how heavy the animal is 0.03-10kg (0.06-22lbs) The fastest recorded speed of the animal 20km/h (12mph) How long the animal lives for 10-14 years Whether the animal is solitary or sociable Group The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct Least Concern The colour of the animal's coat or markings Grey, Brown, White, Black The protective layer of the animal Fur The specific area where the animal lives Dry forest and tropical jungle The average number of babies born at once 3 Other animals that

 hunt and eat the animal Hawk, Fossa, Wild dogs Long body and tail and large eyes Lemur Location Map of Africa Lemur The lemurs is a primate native to the island of Madagascar , a large island off the south east coast of Africa .

There are approximately 10 different species of lemur inhabiting the island where the lemurs spend most of their time in the trees. Lemurs are best known for their large, round reflective eyes and their wailing screams. Lemurs also have furry, pointed ears and long tails, with lemurs often being compared to both monkeys and squirrels. The lemur will eat most small things from berries, nuts and leaves to insects and spiders and therefore the lemur has an omnivorous diet . Lemurs get most of their food from the surrounding trees but lemurs will occasionally forage for grub on the forest floor if they have no luck in the branches. The black and white ruffed lemur , the russet mouse lemur , the woolly lemur , the aye aye and the ring tail lemur are among the most common species of lemur found in Madagascar , although the Aye Aye is considered to be a species of lemur very different from the rest, mainly due to the long middle fingers of the aye aye which it uses to get food out of holes. There are four main types of lemur containing nearly 100 different lemur subspecies between them.

The biggest threat to the lemur is deforestation, with around 90% of the Madagascan jungle having been destroyed. This means that the lemur populations are declining rapidly as the lemur has fewer trees to make its home in. The apex predator of Madagascar , the fossa , is also a big threat to the lemur , as lemurs are one of the favourite meals of a fossa . The lemur has fast reactions and is very agile which allows it to try to escape the fossa , but the fossa is a very stubborn and lightening quick animal , so the lemur generally becomes dinner. The most commonly known species of lemur is the ring-tailed lemur . with this lemur being very distinctive by the black and white ring markings on the lemurs tail. The ring-tailed lemur has a grey coloured fur and white tufts on its ears. Lemurs are small-medium sized primates with adult lemurs growing to a maximum of around 70 cm tall (plus their long tail which is often nearly as long as the body of the lemur).

Lemurs also have sharp claws on their feet which enable the lemur to hold onto tree branches, particularly useful when the lemur is trying to escape from a hungry fossa ! Lemurs are one of the few animals that live in a matriarchal society, which means that the female lemurs have more control over the group than the male lemurs . These lemur groups however, behave in a very similar way to other primates as they feed and groom each other, as well as sleeping close to one another. It is not known why lemurs exhibit this rare form of social structure. Share This Article 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 Sir Richard Branson's 'eco-island' plans hit by row over non-native lemurs - Telegraph British Virgin Islands Sir Richard Branson's 'eco-island' plans hit by row over non-native lemurs When Sir Richard Branson bought the £10m Caribbean island of Moskito in 2007 and pledged to turn it into a luxury 'eco-resort' he was widely applauded by conservationists.

Image 1 of 2 Sir Richard has been accused of threatening its fragile ecology by planning to import non-native lemurs to live on the island Image 1 of 2 They fear that the lemurs, which live in the wild only on Madagascar, will bring in disease, devour insects and birds' eggs, destroy plants and wipe out the island's "dwarf gecko" (Sphaerodactylus parthenopion), one of the world's rarest lizards Photo: ALAMY By David Harrison 9:00PM BST 16 Apr 2011 The Virgin tycoon said he had purchased the pristine island – part of the 60-strong British Virgin Islands (BVI) – to "protect" it and create "the most ecologically friendly island in the world". But now Sir Richard has been accused of threatening its fragile ecology by planning to import non-native lemurs to live there. Scientists say that lemurs are "opportunistic predators" that will threaten native species and are "totally unsuited" to the 120-acre island's habitat.

They fear that the lemurs, which live in the wild only on Madagascar, will bring in disease, devour insects and birds' eggs, destroy plants and wipe out the island's "dwarf gecko" (Sphaerodactylus parthenopion), one of the world's rarest lizards. Sir Richard has applied for – and been granted – permission to bring in about 30 ring-tailed lemurs, with the first group due to arrive in the next two or three weeks. Related Articles Sir Richard Branson in battle to keep hoi polloi off his 'eco' isle 10 Apr 2010 The small primates, collected from zoos, will be kept in "large, comfortable cages" to acclimatise to their new island home before being released into the wild. The Virgin billionaire plans to bring in other species of lemur – the ruffed and the sifaka are possibilities – if the introduction is successful. Speaking from the neighbouring 74-acre island of Necker – which he bought for a reported £180,000 in 1976 – Sir Richard said: "The lemur's rainforest habitat is under threat on Madagascar.

"We want to create a second island habitat and the conditions on Moskito are perfect." He said two-thirds of the island was rainforest and experts he had brought in from South Africa had concluded that the habitat would suit lemurs. "They will be fully inoculated, so disease will not be a problem, and we will nurture them, with vets on hand if they have any health problems," he said. The lemur project is the latest initiative launched by Virgin Unite, the group's charitable foundation, to protect endangered species. Sir Richard said the lemurs might "take the odd gecko" but there were over 1,000 geckos on the island and their population would not be damaged. He added that lemurs "hate swimming" and so would be unlikely to reach other islands. One of his advisers, Lara Mostert, from the Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary, in South Africa, said Sir Richard's lemurs would have a much better life than in the zoos where they currently live and would thrive on Moskito. Lemurs provided many of the popular characters in the 2005 animated children's film Madagascar and Ms Mostert suggested Sir Richard's son "wanted a lemur after seeing the movie".

But conservationists said the animals would have a devastating effect on the island's wildlife. Dr James Lazell, a, biologist and president of the US-based Conservation Agency said: "Lemurs are agile, dexterous, aggressive, omnivorous animals that could have a detrimental effect on these simple island ecologies. "They eat absolutely everything – lizards, fruit, roots, insects, birds' eggs." Dr Lazell, who has been involved in BVI conservation for 31 years, said introducing exotic lemurs into the BVI was an "appalling" idea and lemurs would probably "extirpate" the "BVI endemic dwarf ground gecko". Dr Lianna Jarecki, an environmentalist and senior lecturer at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College on Tortola, the BVI's biggest island, said: "Introducing lemurs to Moskito poses potentially grave environmental problems." She said the island's native habitat was Caribbean dry forest and feared that Sir Richard would try to replace this with "an artificial rainforest ecosystem".

Clive Petrovic, an ecologist who led the environmental impact assessment for Sir Richard's development – before the lemurs plan was announced – said the island should be "extra cautious" about bringing in non-native animals because of the risk of disease. Islanders have criticised the minister of natural resources, Omar Hodge, who they accuse of approving Sir Richard's application despite objections from the government's own experts. Lorie Rymer, who is standing for office in the BVI elections later this year – in the district that includes Moskito and the neighbouring island of Virgin Gorda, the second largest in the BVI – has launched a petition against Sir Richard's lemurs plan. Concerns over invasive species have been heightened in the BVI since Pacific lionfish escaped from a Miami aquarium after Hurricane Andrew in 1997 and spread throughout the Caribbean region, causing damage on the reefs. Moskito island, which lies between Necker and Virgin Gorda, is said to take its name from the Moskito Indians who lived in the area from before the 1500s, rather than from the mosquito insect.

The BVI, a British overseas territory, includes the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over 50 other smaller islands. The islands' total population is about 25,000. Sir Richard said that buyers had already been found for the "seven or eight" luxury, carbon-neutral, private homes that would be built on the island by late 2013. Article: Lemurs in Madagascar—Then Article: Lemurs in Madagascar—Then Glossary Article: Lemurs in Madagascar—Then The lemurs of Madagascar, the most diverse group of primates in the world, had even more members in their ranks before humans first arrived to the island two millennia ago. There was Palaeopropithecus ingens, a lemur that hung from branches like a sloth. There was Daubentonia robusta, or an oversize version of the current-day aye-aye—a lemur with long, skeletal fingers, large eyes, and rodentlike teeth. The lumbering Archaeoindris fontoynontii weighed in at 160 kg, the size of a male gorilla.

The 45–85 kg Megaladapis edwardsi had a prehensile upper lip to pluck leaves while slowly ascending trees like a koala. An eastern lesser bamboo lemur eating its favorite food in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Jason Lelchuk for AMNH These four species, all larger than current-day lemurs, are now extinct. In fact, about 16 of the perhaps 70 species of wildly diverse lemurs that existed upon human arrival aren’t around anymore. Of the species still living, four top Conservation International’s “World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates” list. Despite the disappearances of plants and animals on Madagascar, the country remains incredibly rich biologically. Its environments vary from desert to rain forest to shrubby highlands. The country still boasts a huge variety of species, 90 percent of which are found nowhere else. How did Madagascar develop such a range of wildlife? The reasons can be traced back to when Madagascar began to be decidedly its own place, some 160 million years ago.

Paleontologist Laurie Godfrey, left, examines lemur bones with graduate student Emilienne Rasoazanabary at the University of Antananarivo. Jason Lelchuk for AMNH A Fateful Split At that time, Madagascar (then attached to India, Australia, and Antarctica) began to split from the supercontinent Gondwanaland. Just before the start of the Late Cretaceous period, 124 million years ago, Madagascar arrived at its present position, separated from Africa by the 770 km wide Gulf of Mozambique. Now the fourth-largest island in the world, it straddles many latitudes. This helps foster its myriad climates and habitats. This geographic seclusion from other land is one reason why Madagascar is considered a “laboratory of evolution” by researchers like University of Massachusetts paleontologist Laurie Godfrey. The country’s flora and fauna have evolved independently, with little influence from species migrating from adjacent areas. As evidenced by Charles Darwin's discovery of a unique finch for each unique island of the Galapagos chain, physical barriers to interbreeding are key to the development of new species in an area. Such evolutionary isolation of the island of Madagascar would have telling consequences for its lemur populations.

LEMURS OF BYGONE DAYS The French East India Company appointed Étienne de Flacourt governor of Madagascar in the late 17th century. His 1661 tome Histoire de la Grand Isle Madagascardescribes the animals he saw and was told about during his exploration of the country. It provides tantalizing details about native megafauna, or large animal species, that no longer exist today. One creature, called thetretretretre, was described as large as a two-year-old calf, having the "face of a man," long digits, curly hair, and a short tail. Residents were "very afraid of it and flee it as it does them." Paleontologist Laurie Godfrey believes this animal to be the extinct sloth lemur Palaeopropithecus. AMNH library rare book collection “There is some evidence that there was a single colonizing ancestor of lemurs on Madagascar, long after the island was already separated from Africa and other bodies of land,” says Godfrey. She digs and studies lemurs’ “subfossil” bones—i.e. bones buried too recently to fossilize—to learn which species lived here when.

DNA analysis of present-day lemurs suggests that lemurs’ original ancestor lived nearly 70 million years ago, a few million years before the dinosaurs disappeared. No one is certain if this “proto-lemur” negotiated the surrounding waters to arrive on the island or if primates (including lemurs) evolved on the once-connected landmasses from earlier inhabitants. Several theories exist about lemur origins, but molecular studies have repeatedly shown that this ancestor diversified into eight families of lemurs: three extinct and five still alive. Scientists call this evolutionary process “adaptive radiation.” “The idea suggests that high diversity results because animals adapted to different niches, different habitats, and different foods within the same habitat,” says Godfrey. Coping with Change Such an ancient adaptive radiation means that the lemurs of Madagascar—both extinct and living—are quite different from one another. Every extinct lemur was larger than the largest living today, the domino-colored, bushy-eared, tailless indri, which is the size of a 7-month-old child. The tiniest lemur, the mouse lemur, is closer in size to its namesake. Some lemurs eat leaves, others fungus, and still others the soil near termite mounds.

Many lemurs have odd adaptations that give them a competitive edge, such as the aye-aye’s lengthy fingers, which it uses to pluck woodboring insect larvae. Another instance is the bamboo lemur’s resistance to the cyanide naturally present in its food, bamboo shoots. This allows it to exploit a resource others avoid. Some scientists argue that lemurs may have evolved in the many ways they did to cope with limited resources on a constantly changing island environment. "Madagascar is a great place to study both natural and human-induced changes in the environment," says Godfrey. "It's a natural experiment, so to speak. We desperately need to understand its dynamics if we are going to conserve the remaining primates not only on Madagascar but also in the rest of the world." Related Links A satellite image of the country showing active fires. More About This Resource... Our innovative Science Bulletins are an online and exhibition program that offers the public a window into the excitement of scientific discovery. This essay was published in April 2006 as part of the Lemurs of Madagascar: Surviving on an Island of Change Bio Feature.

It begins by explaining that the lemurs of Madagascar, the most diverse group of primates in the world, had even more members in their ranks before humans first arrived on the island two millennia ago. It then takes a look at the biological diversity of Madagascar, which still boasts a huge variety of species, 90 percent of which are found nowhere else. The essay concludes by stating that some scientists argue that lemurs may have evolved in the many ways they did to cope with limited resources on a constantly changing island environment. Teacher Tip Supplement a study of biology with a classroom activity drawn from this Science Bulletin essay. Ask students what they know about Madagascar. Where is the island located? What species is it known for? Have them read the essay (either online or a printed copy). Working individually or in small groups, have students research one of the four extinct species of lemurs mentioned in the article (Palaeopropithecus ingens, Daubentonia robusta, Archaeoindris fontoynontii, egaladapis edwardsi) and report their findings to the class.

Origin Island of Lemurs: Madagascar Movie 2014 Official Site – Starring Morgan Freeman SYNOPSIS PRODUCTION NOTES FILMMAKERS MEET THE LEMURS Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) Ring-tailed lemurs are the most intensely studied of all the lemurs: they are also the most easily recognizable lemur and the most common in captivity. They are also the most terrestrial of all the lemurs. Male ring-tails are equipped with scent glands on their wrists which are used in “stink fighting” with a rival male. Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) Dwarf lemurs forage in solitude at night. During the day they congregate, in packs of up to five to a tree hole, while they sleep. Fat-tailed dwarf lemurs survive long periods of food shortage by storing fat in their tails! Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli) The Sifaka of Madagascar are distinguished from other lemurs by their mode of locomotion: these animals maintain a distinctly vertical posture and leap through the trees using just the strength of their back legs.

Their spectacular method of locomotion can easily propel them distances of over 20 feet from tree to tree. On the ground, the animals cross treeless areas just as gracefully, by an elegant bipedal sideways hopping. Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus) The Greater Bamboo Lemur is the largest species of bamboo lemur. This species is cathemeral, active during the day and night throughout the year. The females of this species do not “park” their infants while foraging, unlike other Bamboo lemur species. Indri (Indri indri) The Indri is the largest of the lemurs alive today. They are easily located and identified by its eerie wailing song. Every day the Indri descends to the ground to eat soil, which may help it detoxify from the seeds it has eaten. Gray Mouse Lemur (Microcebus murinus) In Madagascar, gray mouse lemurs are sometimes sighted in gardens and roadside brush. They were thought to be the smallest living primate until recently disproven when the pygmy mouse lemur (Microcebus myoxinus), thought to be extinct, was re-discovered.

The gray mouse lemur is one of the most widespread, abundant, and adaptable lemur species – and some actually have a reddish pelage color! Verreaux’s Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) The Verreaux’s Sifaka does not need to drink water and can survive severe drought by eating the bark and cambium of the spiny, cactus-like plants, Operculicarya decaryi. Black and White Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata variegate) Populations of wild ruffed lemurs are critically endangered in Madagascar, and yet the animals thrive in captivity, making this species an ideal candidate for re-introduction to the wild, assuming protected habitat is available. DAVID DOUGLAS (Director/Cinematographer) has helmed and photographed large format documentary benchmarks, including the Oscar®-nominated “Fires of Kuwait,” which also received the GSTA Maximum Image Award for Best Classic IMAX film; critically acclaimed “Survival Island”; as well as the first IMAX concert feature, “Rolling Stones: At the MAX,” which captures the world’s greatest rock and roll band on their massive Steel Wheels tour and earned the GSTA Maximum Image Award.

He also wrote, directed and photographed “Wolves” for the National Wildlife Federation and “Straight Up: Helicopters in Action,” which premiered at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum. Douglas’ first high school multiple-image documentary led to employment at Multiscreen Corp. by the inventors of the IMAX system/fathers of the large format film industry, Robert Kerr, Bill Shaw, Roman Kroitor and Graeme Ferguson.

He later spent 18 months training dozens of astronauts to be filmmakers on Ferguson’s IMAX Space Team, supporting their orbital efforts on 14 shuttle flights from mission control, as well as shooting the terrestrial images for the original IMAX space series, “The Dream is Alive,” “Blue Planet,” “Destiny in Space” and “Mission to Mir.” Constantly moving between directing and cinematography, Douglas has photographed over thirty films for IMAX Corporation and other clients, including most recently, the IMAX documentaries “Born To Be Wild” and “All Access: Front Row, Backstage, Live!,” and provided additional photography on the IMAX space documentaries “Space Station 3D,” and “Hubble 3D.” In 2002, he was honored with the Kodak Vision award, and in 2010 received the IMAX Hall of Fame Award. DREW FELLMAN (Writer/Producer) previously collaborated with Douglas on the critically acclaimed IMAX documentary “Born To Be Wild,” which he also wrote and produced. The film received the National Board of Review’s Top Five Documentaries Award in 2011 and also won the Genesis Award that year for best feature documentary.

He began his relationship with IMAX working as part of Howard Hall’s diving team on the IMAX films “Under the Sea 3D” and “Hubble 3D.” Fellman has also worked as a journalist, screenwriter, and photographer. A graduate of UC Berkeley, Fellman has a Masters from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. DIANE ROBERTS(Co-Producer) Emerged from a background of innovative commercial television and award-winning feature film production in the UK, Europe, Africa and Canada. Roberts has been involved in producing many IMAX films, collaborating numerous times with Chris Parsons OBE and Sir David Attenborough, two men who defined excellence in natural history documentaries, including “The Secret of Life on Earth,” shot in 57 locations across the world, “Cities of the Wild” and “Survival Island,” directed by David Douglas and shot in the South Atlantic.

Roberts also produced Douglas’ Academy Award® nominated “Fires of Kuwait” and “Rolling Stones at the Max.” Her other collaborations with Douglas directing include “Wolves” and "Straight Up - Helicopters in Action.” Most recently, Roberts produced “Born To Be Wild,” shot by Douglas in Borneo, with Drew Fellman writing/producing. Among her other credits are the IMAX films “Mission to Mir,” “All Access" and “Journey to Mecca,” which brought specially trained IMAX camera units into the heart of the Holy Kabbah. BETH SPIEGEL (Editor) has edited several shows which have won numerous awards ranging from the Genesis Award to a shared Emmy Award in the craft of editing for National Geographic’s (NGO) “The Dragons of Galapagos.” She often travels for months at a time to live and edit in various places around the world. Spiegel previously collaborated with David Douglas and Drew Fellman on the IMAX documentary “Born To Be Wild,” which was shot in Borneo, and was honored by the National Board of Review.

In 2010, Spiegel spent six months in South Africa editing NGO’s “Swamp Troop,” which was nominated for a National News and Informational Emmy. Spiegel also headed an editing team on NGO and Paramount/Vantage’s ambitious 2007 feature documentary “Arctic Tale,” narrated by Queen Latifah, which was shot over the course of a decade in myriad formats. Spiegel’s long association with NGO includes editing episodes of critically acclaimed series “National Geographic Explorer” and “Strange Days on Earth.” In addition, she has edited episodes of “Nature,” A&E’s “Biography,” and PBS’ “The Living Edens,” “Intimate Strangers” and, most currently, “Craft in America.” A fine artist, Spiegel’s exhibits include paintings at the Museum of Tolerance. Her children’s book illustrations include the critically acclaimed First Grade Stinks.

HANITRARIVO (Hanitra) RASOANAIVO (Songs) is a Malagasy native, known for her work with Madagascar’s band Tarika, topping World Music charts and voted by Time Magazine as one of the ten best bands in the world on a list that also included, U2, Radiohead, Portishead, Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers and Cuba's Orishas. Tarika’s thought-provoking 1994 album “Bibiango” was followed by the socially conscious-themed “Son Egal” in 1997, which received rave reviews in Europe and the USA, reaching the top of the European World Music Charts and holding the number one spot on the CMJ World Music Chart in the USA for 8 weeks. The album was nominated for the Kora All- African Music Awards and won the 1998 AFIM Indie Award for Contemporary World Music Album in the USA. 2001’s “Soul Makassar,” released on Hanitra's own UK-based independent label Sakay (Rogue Productions) in January 2001, explores the links between Madagascar and ancestral Indonesia.

With 12 albums and three films, including a BBC documentary film on her life as a female artist entitled “Mad Rhythm of Madagascar,” Hanitra has re-created her band, now called: Tarika Bé featuring the best drummer and guitarists of the capital of Madagascar and a multi-instrumentalist who plays all the traditional instruments. Tarika Bé has already toured for different prestigious festivals in the Indian Ocean, Africa and Europe, including the “Festival de Jazz de Montreux” in Switzerland. In 2011, she put out her first DVD, “Live in Lugano.” Hanitra's music is a unique, modern blend from the roots music of the different regions of Madagascar, strongly featuring vocal harmonies and local instruments like the marovany, valiha, kabosy, jejy, voatavo and lots of local percussion among the more conventional guitars and electric bass. Tarika's albums have all been notable for songs which combine stories and hard- hitting political subject matter with upbeat, accessible, danceable music. Hanitra designs her own stage costumes, jewelry, bags, and shoes. She writes and composes all her songs and on stage, she sings, dances and plays traditional percussions from her homeland.

Outside her main work with Tarika Bé, Hanitra performs as a comedian and toured all over the Indian Ocean, France and Norway with different international theatre groups. She is also very active in helping other women in Arts and runs workshops, shows and trains young women in all aspects of their talents. She also participated in the “Women Of Africa” collaboration with Mali’s Oumou Sangare, Cameroun’s Sally Nyolo and South Africa’s Sibongile Khumalo, creating joint work for their sell-out 1998 tour. In 2002, she built the first Malagasy Arts Centre in Madagascar. In 2011, she launched an effort for concerned artists of all disciplines to use their talents to celebrate nature, biodiversity and to spread messages for the protection of the environment. Her main aim is to focus on how artists and artisans from her native country can become self- sufficient and generate incomes from their talents.

MARK MOTHERSBAUGH (Composer) previously collaborated with Drew Fellman and David Douglas on the IMAX documentary “Born To Be Wild.” He has written the music for more than 70 film and television projects, including the recent box office hits “The LEGO® Movie,” “Hotel Transylvania,” “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” and its sequel, “21 Jump Street”, and the upcoming “22 Jump Street.” Mothersbaugh first came to prominence in the music world as lead singer and keyboard player of the progressive new wave/rock band DEVO, that released a series of highly eclectic and satirical albums, including “Are We Not Men?” and “Freedom of Choice.” In the mid-1980s, Mothersbaugh began to write music for commercials and received a Clio Award for his work.

He went on to compose music for numerous television projects, including the memorable theme song and underscore for “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.” That led to a long run of writing music for the popular children’s series“Rugrats”and the hugely successful “The Rugrats Movie.” His more recent television credits include HBO’s “Enlightened” and Showtime’s “House of Lies.” In 1996, he met Wes Anderson and scored the filmmaker’s critically acclaimed “Bottle Rocket.” He also wrote the music for Anderson’s “Rushmore,” starring Bill Murray, and “The Royal Tenenbaums,” starring Gene Hackman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anjelica Huston and Owen Wilson. His score for “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” is one of Mothersbaugh’s most memorable, to date. His additional film credits include “Last Vegas,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked”; Catherine Hardwicke’s “Lords of Dogtown” and “Thirteen”; Joe and Anthony Russo’s “Welcome to Collinwood,” starring George Clooney; and “Happy Gilmore,” starring Adam Sandler.

Mothersbaugh’s record and song production credits include work with such artists as Vampire Weekend, Tegan and Sara, David Bowie, Cypress Hill, David Byrne, Beck, Iggy Pop, B-52s, Jacob Dylan, Cindy Lauper and A Tribe Called Quest. Further extending Mothersbaugh’s musical palate; he has also scored numerous video games, including “The Sims” and “Boom Blox.” The recipient of BMI’s distinguished Richard Kirk Lifetime Achievement Award, Mothersbaugh continues to perform with DEVO, which has had a resurgence in recent years, playing concerts across the country, including New York’s Central Park and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The Ohio native studied at Kent State University. A world-renowned artist, his drawings and paintings have been shown in galleries around the world. Academy Award® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby,” “Dolphin Tale”) narrates the IMAX® 3D documentary “Island of Lemurs: Madagascar,” the incredible true story of nature’s greatest explorers—lemurs.

The film reunites Freeman with Drew Fellman, who also wrote and produced the 2011 IMAX 3D documentary “Born to Be Wild 3D,” and director/cinematographer David Douglas, who was the director of photography on that film. Captured with IMAX 3D cameras, the film takes audiences on a spectacular journey to the remote and wondrous world of Madagascar, where lemurs arrived millions of years ago as castaways. They’ve since evolved into hundreds of diverse species, but are now highly endangered. “Island of Lemurs: Madagascar” highlights the tireless efforts of trailblazing scientist Dr. Patricia C. Wright and her lifelong mission to help these strange and adorable creatures survive in the modern world. Joining Douglas once again behind the scenes are editor Beth Spiegel, co-producer Diane Roberts, and composer Mark Mothersbaugh. Songs are by Hanitrarivo Rasoanaivo & Tarika. TITLE Lemurs, Ghosts of the Forest - The Prosimians of Madagascar Unique creatures native to the island of Madagascar, lemurs attract our attention with their mysterious nature and bright, round eyes.

With a name derived from the Latin word for "ghost," lemurs are a link to ancient primates and are known as prosimians ("before monkeys"). With much of their Madagascar rainforest habitat lost to continuing deforestation, the future of lemurs is threatened. Conservation groups and researchers around the world are working to ensure their survival through captive breeding programs, species reintroduction, and observational research. The foremost research, education and conservation facility in the US is the Duke Lemur Center in Durham, North Carolina. The Lemur Center is the world's largest sanctuary for rare and endangered prosimian primates. Their 85-acre facility houses over 225 lemurs encompassing 15 different species and is funded by Duke University, The National Science Foundation, and individual donors. Lemurs are a link to our evolutionary past, and lemur enthusiasts are working to ensure that they also have a bright future. Ring-Tailed Lemurs, Ring-Tailed Lemur Pictures, Ring-Tailed Lemur Facts - National Geographic Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man Please add a "relative" entry to your dictionary. Lemurs are primates found only on the African island of Madagascar and some tiny neighboring islands.

Because of its geographic isolation, Madagascar is home to many amazing animals found nowhere else on Earth. Lemurs may have floated there eons ago on "rafts" of vegetation and evolved in isolation over countless centuries. Ring-tailed lemurs are unmistakable because of their long, vividly striped, black-and-white tail. They are familiar residents of many zoos. Lemurs use their hands and feet to move nimbly through the trees, but cannot grip with their tails as some of their primate cousins do. Ring-tailed lemurs also spend a lot of time on the ground, which is unusual among lemur species. They forage for fruit, which makes up the greater part of their diet, but also eat leaves, flowers, tree bark, and sap. Ring-tailed lemurs have powerful scent glands and use their unique odor as a communication tool and even as a kind of weapon. Lemurs mark their territory by scent, serving notice of their presence to all who can smell. During mating season, male lemurs battle for dominance by trying to outstink each other. They cover their long tails with smelly secretions and wave them in the air to determine which animal is more powerful.

Ring-tailed lemurs live in groups known as troops. These groups may include 6 to 30 animals, but average about 17. Both sexes live in troops, but a dominant female presides over all. Ring-tailed lemurs are endangered, largely because the sparse, dry forests they love are quickly vanishing. Ring-tailed Lemur | The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Tweet “Where I live” Like all species of lemur, ring-tailed lemurs are native only to the island nation of Madagascar. There, they live in a variety of forest habitats, including spiny forest, lowland gallery forest, dry scrub, and dry deciduous forest. They are able to tolerate more diversity of habitat than any other type of lemur and are found in some of the hottest, driest, and coldest environments in Madagascar. At the Maryland Zoo, they are located on Lemur Lane in the African Journey. “How I live there” A social species, ring-tailed lemurs live in female-dominated family groups. Females typically remain with the groups into which they were born while mature males shift between groups. Family groups travel together from feeding site to feeding site and occupy the best feeding tree.

Females and offspring get first dibs at the food, while males either wait their turn or settle into a nearby tree. Ring-tailed lemurs are not strictly territorial but when groups encounter each other in overlapping home ranges, it often results in confrontation. Females will defend their groups vocally and sometimes physically before each group retreats back to the center of its home range. Ring-tailed lemurs are active during the day, foraging, feeding, grooming, and resting, both on the ground and in trees. They feed on a variety of plant materials, including flowers, as well as insects and chameleons. They spend more time on the ground than any other species of lemur. They like to sunbathe and they strike a signature pose, sitting on the ground with arms and legs splayed, facing into the sun. “Making my mark” Ring-tailed lemurs are easily identified by their super-long, bushy, black-and-white striped tails. They have masked faces that resemble a cat or a raccoon. They are distinctive in their movement as well. When walking or running, they travel on all fours and hold their tails straight up, with the tip curving away from the body in the shape of a question mark.

“What threatens me” Ring-tailed lemurs have some predators – Madagascar’s largest carnivore, the fossa, being one – but the greatest threat to their survival is habitat loss. They are also hunted in parts of their range and are frequently taken as pets. Raising Young Male ring-tailed lemurs compete to establish a hierarchy, which determines access to females. Females tend to synchronize breeding and birthing, which occurs roughly at the beginning of September. Females usually give birth to a single offspring at a time. Baby ring-tailed lemurs cling to their mothers’ bellies for about the first 2 weeks of life, then shift onto their mothers’ backs, and then start exploring their surroundings with increasing independence. Conservation Ring-tailed lemurs thrive in a number of protected territories within their range but fare less well outside of these areas. They are currently listed as a “endangered” species by the IUCN, the world’s leading conservation organization. The Zoo’s Lemur Lane exhibit is generously sponsored by: Quick Facts:

Question: Lemurs are native to what island?
Answer: Madagascar