Black & White Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata variegata)

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Distribution
Behaviour
Reproduction
Appearance
Size
Social Structure
Diet
Activity Period
Predators
Conservation Status
Threats
Black & White Ruffed Lemurs at the Zoo

Distribution	Madagascar, Eastern Rainforest back to top
Behaviour	Weighing around 3.5kg, they are the largest of the quadrupedal lemurs and almost certainly one of the noisiest of all the primates. It is easy to understand why the word 'lemur' in Malagasy means 'Ghost', or 'evil spirit' when you hear their territorial raucous call which can travel distances of up to 1km or more. They spend most of their lives in the upper layers of the forest canopy. They are agile climbers and will spend long periods of time hanging upside down by their back feet feeding on fruits and berries. The Black Lemur can only be found in the evergreen forests far up in northwest Madagascar and on the neighbouring islands of Nosy Be and Nosy Komba. Like the brown lemurs they have been found to be important ecologically but in an unusual manner as pollinators. The traveller's or ravenella palm has large flowers up to 25 cm long. Black lemurs have been seen using the stems of the leaves and flower bracts as ladders to help them reach up into the flowers for the nectar. The pollen is then transferred via their nose as they move from one bloom to another. back to top
Reproduction	The female ruffed lemur is different to other lemur species (apart from the small mouse lemur) in that when giving birth it is quite normal for her to have two or three babies at a time (as many as six have been recorded in captivity). Therefore, she cannot carry all her babies around like other lemur and monkey species. Instead, she constructs a nest out of leaves and twigs high up in the canopy where she parks her babies for the first few weeks of their lives. If she has to move them at any time she will pick them up and carry them in her mouth like a cat carrying its' kittens. Baby ruffed lemurs have to become independent at a much earlier age and therefore start to become mobile from about 3 weeks old. They are nearly fully grown at 3 months old but are not sexually mature until they are 2 to 3 years old. Gestation (pregnancy) lasts up to 14 ½ weeks. back to top
Appearance	These piebald animals vary in their coat colouration but the face is always black, sometimes with white around the muzzle. The head and crown are black, framed by the characteristic white 'ruff' which extends from the ear tufts around the cheeks and throat. Otherwise the tail, hands and feet, shoulders and insides of their arms and legs are black with the back and outsides of their arms and legs white. Males and females share the same markings making them difficult to distinguish. back to top
Size	Weight: 3.5 kg Length: 110 cm from nose to tip of tail back to top
Social Structure	Group size can vary considerably but is generally believed to be small i.e. 5 - 7, usually consisting of a male & female with young. Females are dominant to males and have first choice at food. Territory Defence: Long howling, barking calls are performed by the entire group throughout the day. Scent from chest and anal glands is used to mark the territory out. back to top
Diet	Primarily fruit, but they also feed on nectar, leaves and seeds. They have been seen to eat earth as well as small birds and rodents. back to top
Activity Period	These lemurs are diurnal being at their most active in the early morning and then again late afternoon/early evening. back to top
Predators	Due to their large size this species has very few natural predators. Large snakes may take adults occasionally and fossas (cat-like animals) can only reach them if they stray into the lower levels of the trees. back to top
Conservation Status	IUCN Red List: Classified Endangered CITES: Appendix 1, no hunting or trade allowed Population estimate: Less than 10,000 back to top
Threats	Habitat destruction - deforestation for the timber trade, forest clearance to provide farmland and soil erosion due to slash and burn agriculture techniques. Hunting - for food, fur and the local pet trade. back to top
Black & White Ruffed Lemurs available for adoption	Louis back to top