Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

With its long black-and-white striped tail, the ring-tailed lemur is the most recognizable lemur and the most common one in zoos. It lives wild only in southern and southwestern Madagascar, where females lead the group. It doesn't live wild in the U.S., but many American zoos keep it.

Appearance

Appearance: The body is 15–18 in (39–46 cm) long, the tail 22–25 in (56–63 cm), and adults weigh about 4.9–6 lb (2.2–2.7 kg). The back is gray to rosy brown with a white chest. The tail has 13–14 black and 12–13 white rings and always ends in black.
Voice: One of the most vocal primates, with at least 28 different calls, including alarm calls.

Look-alikes

ringtailBassariscus astutus

The ringtail is smaller than a house cat (body 12–17 in / 30–42 cm), dark brown, with huge eyes and a masked face, and it comes out mainly at night. It's a raccoon relative of the Southwest and the state mammal of Arizona.

Why they get mixed upBoth have long tails banded black and white.

raccoonProcyon lotor

Raccoons have a black "bandit mask," a much shorter bushy tail (usually about 10 in / 25 cm), and are far heavier, usually 11–26 lb (5–12 kg).

Why they get mixed upTheir tails also have light and dark rings.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: gallery forests
dry deciduous forests
spiny thickets
Range: Found only in southern and southwestern Madagascar, from Fort-Dauphin west to Morondava, with a small population near the Andringitra Mountains. It does not live wild in the U.S.
Preferred conditions: Its forests are some of Madagascar's hottest and driest. It's the most ground-dwelling lemur, spending up to half the day on the ground.
Seasons: In North Carolina
Breeding Oct–Nov

Behavior

Diet: Fruit, leaves, flowers, bark, and sap, plus some insects and small animals in the dry season. Tamarind can make up half its diet.
Social life: Troops usually have 6–25 members. Females outrank all males and stay in their birth group for life, while males move between groups. Troops hold their tails up like flags to stay together, and they sunbathe in the morning sitting upright with bellies to the sun.
Senses: Scent matters a lot. In "stink fights," rival males rub their tails on wrist scent glands and wave them overhead until one backs down.

Life cycle

Breeding season: In Madagascar, mating takes place in April and May and babies are born in August and September. At the Duke Lemur Center in North Carolina, mating shifts to October and November.
Gestation: About 135 days
Litter size: Usually one; twins are not rare when food is plentiful.
Time to maturity: Females usually give birth first at age 3, then every year. Babies cling to mom's belly for the first 1–2 weeks, then ride on her back, and are weaned at 5–6 months.
Lifespan: Wild females rarely live past 16; the record in captivity is 27 years.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: ENEndangeredVery high risk of extinction in the wild
Status: Its forests are being cleared for farms, overgrazed, and cut for charcoal. It is also hunted for food and taken as pets. At least 2,200 have been confirmed across 32 surveyed sites, though many areas remain unsurveyed. International trade is banned under .