Where are they found?
Except for those in captivity, all Lemur's are found on the Island of Madagascar. They reside in the tropical rain forest and dry thorn brush of this island.

What are they?
They are mammals.

What do they look like?
The head and body length is 12.5 to 70 cm (4-27.5 in.). The Lemur's tail length is 5 to 15.5 cm (2-6.1 in.) They weigh 5 to 3 kg (1.1-6.6 lb.). They are highly active, tree-dwelling primates with cat like nose and whiskers. They have soft fur and the Lemurs coloration varies from reddish brown to grey and also black. Another name for them is "prosimians", which means "before apes." Lemurs maintain primitive primate features such as a small brain case and a prominent nose.

How long do they live? They live for 18 years or longer. What do they eat? Predominantly vegetation; flowers, fruit, leaves and occasionally insects and small vertebrates. Breeding Lemurs are able to breed from 14 to 15 months old. Gestation is 2 to 5 months. They have 1 - 4 young per birth.

Are they rare?
Lemurs fill an important ecological role on the island of Madagascar. These primates often feed on an assortment of seasonal fruits and as they travel throughout their environment, they disperse undigested seeds in their manure. The Malagasy people maintain national parks. This protects wildlife and even supports industry in Madagascar, which is developing environmentally friendly methods of farming. The Lemurs play an important part in this development.

Did you Know?
Lemurs rely on their sense of smell as a way of communicating with other animals. They have special scent glands on their wrists and bottoms that leave scent trails on branches to mark their territories. They regularly sleep for sixteen hours a day.

A female Lemur carries her newborn in her mouth until the baby is able to cling to the fur on her stomach or back.