One of the 6 lemurs on WAnimals
Mammals · Primates · Lemuridae
Ring-tailed Lemur
Lemur catta
It faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. See full glossary
Found only in Madagascar, it is easily recognised by its long black-and-white ringed tail. It lives in groups led by females.
Weight
2 kg – 3.5 kg
Size
95 cm – 1.1 m
Lifespan
18 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Family group
Lives in small family groups with close bonds.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Estimated population
Between 2,000 and 2,400 animals in the wild according to two independent 2016 studies that reviewed 32-34 localities; only eight populations of 100 or more individuals are thought to remain, and local extinctions were documented at at least 12 of the 32 sites examined. Other authors warn that areas remain unsurveyed
Fun facts
- It uses its tail to communicate with the rest of the troop.
- It sunbathes sitting up with its arms spread, as though meditating.
- In the wild it lives only in Madagascar.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Dry forest, spiny thicket and gallery woodland of southern and south-western Madagascar
- Birth weight
- ~70.6 grams
- Size at birth
- It clings to its mother's belly for the first few weeks, then moves to her back
- Sexual maturity
- 2.5-4 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 130-144 days (4.3-4.8 months)
- Litter / clutch size
- 1 young (twins possible, but a single is more usual)
- Lifespan in captivity
- Documented record of up to 37.3 years in captivity
Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animal Diversity Web; Abilene Zoo; Smithsonian National Zoo; The Animal Facts; USDA APHIS Species Factsheet; SDZWA Library Fact Sheet; PMC (health correlates longevity study); IUCN Red List (En peligro): se estima un declive de al menos el 50 % en tres generaciones por pérdida de hábitat, caza para carne de monte y comercio ilegal de mascotas || LaFleur et al. 2016, Folia Primatologica; Gould y Sauther 2016, Primate Conservation; IUCN Red List
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Ring-tailed Lemur — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur
Varecia variegata
Brown Lemur
Eulemur fulvus
Aye-aye
Daubentonia madagascariensis
Milne-Edward's Sifaka
Propithecus edwardsi
Mongoose Lemur
Eulemur mongoz
How to help
The ring-tailed lemur is classified as endangered. Organizations such as Lemur Conservation Foundation work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 5 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about ring-tailed lemur.
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