Lemurs in the sun. Madagascar lemurs. The tiniest lemur

A lemur is a mammal of the order Primates, suborder Wet-nosed monkeys, infraorder Lemur-like, family Lemuridae.

About 50 million years ago, at the dawn Cenozoic era, the first primates appeared on planet Earth. Over time, they divided into 2 groups - monkeys and prosimians. About 25 million years ago, prosimians gave rise to a group of lemurs. In those distant times, lemurs flourished, but were later driven out from everywhere by real monkeys. But there is still a place on Earth where these ancient and mysterious creatures. The magical island of Madagascar, which is often called the “Island of Lemurs,” has become the habitat of these unique representatives of the fauna.

The word “lemur” itself means “spirit of the deceased” or “ghost”. These animals with eyes like saucers were considered ghosts due to the fact that many of them lead night look life, breaking the silence tropical forest with their sometimes piercing, sometimes mournful screams. And according to local belief, the dead, or those who left people and went to live in the jungle, move into lemurs. In fact, lemurs are charming and harmless creatures.

Lemurs have thick hair of various colors, a fluffy and long tail, an often elongated muzzle, and large, close-set eyes. The limbs are grasping with well opposable thumbs. Nails grow on all fingers, only on the lower extremities one finger has a long claw, which is used by animals for hygienic purposes - with its help they care for their fur and clean their ears..

No one can say for sure how many different species and subspecies of lemurs live on the island. Every year, scientists describe more and more new species. If at the end of the 20th century 31 species were classified as lemur-like, today more than a hundred species of lemurs are known, grouped into five families.

Different species of these animals can differ significantly in appearance and size, as well as in their lifestyle. So, if the dwarf mouse lemur weighs no more than 50 grams, then Indri’s weight can reach 10 kilograms.

Nature designed it in such a way that the habitats of all types of lemurs on the island are scattered in spots. Each species has characteristics of behavior, habitat and rhythm of life. Some species hang on trees all day long and slowly consume greenery, while others spend more time on the ground hunting insects and small vertebrates. Among these animals there are both diurnal and nocturnal species. Daytime ones are usually larger and brighter in color; they love to soak up the sun, lying on the branches of trees. Night wanderers awaken at dusk, filling the forest with screams, start a “marathon” and go in search of food, often covering vast distances. They are even brighter-eyed than their diurnal relatives.

Even the principles of building a lemur family differ from species to species. Some are monogamous, others prefer polygamous harem families, and still others change partners every year.

All lemurs are extremely interesting, amazing and charming. Let's talk about some types in more detail.

Indri - the “giant” among lemurs

They say that once upon a time there lived huge lemurs in Madagascar, whose weight reached 200 kilograms! Today, the largest lemur is recognized as the short-tailed Indri (Indri indri), which lives in the northeastern regions of the island. The body length of a babakoto (as the local population calls indri) can reach 90 cm; The indri's tail, compared to other species, is short - about 5 cm. The animal's muzzle is elongated and slightly resembles a dog's, the ears are large and shaggy, and the lips are red. The fur all over the body is very thick with a white-gray-black pattern, and the muzzle is almost hairless.

The indri's diet consists almost entirely of leaves, some of which are poisonous. To neutralize toxins that enter their bodies, the animals periodically eat the soil.

Indri is not only the largest living lemur, but also perhaps the noisiest. If you are lucky enough to be in national park Andasibe Mantadia, then early in the morning you can hear the shrill cries of flocks of indri calling to each other, declaring rights to their territory.

Babakoto are also famous for the fact that they are the most faithful among the entire lemur kingdom. Once they create a pair, they keep it for life. Females occupy a privileged position in the family.

Lemur Vary - a plush miracle

The variegated lemur (Varecia variegata) is another major representative families. These beauties live in the rain forests of the eastern part of the island and feed mainly on fruits. They prefer to live in groups of up to 30 individuals. Matriarchy reigns among the Vars, i.e. females dominate here.

Look at the photo: the lemur's body resembles a plush toy, and its fingers are just like human ones!

And in this species, females also dominate - the leader of a group of 15-20 animals is the largest of the adults.

Bamboo lemur - a charming “gourmet”

Science knows three species of bamboo lemurs: the golden lemur (Hapalemur aureus), the broad-nosed lemur (great bamboo lemur) (Prolemur simus) and gray bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus).

It is not for nothing that the animals received such a name, because they cannot imagine their life without succulent bamboo, and each species prefers certain varieties. Between 90 and 98% of their diet comes from bamboo shoots, stems, seeds and fruits. It is noteworthy that bamboo shoots contain cyanide in high concentrations; for most mammals these substances are fatal, but not for the lemur - he spends almost all his time in the bamboo thickets and puts fresh leaves in his mouth, being distracted only to sleep.

The golden bamboo lemur is the most rare view. It is the size of a cat and weighs 1-1.5 kg.

In the photo below, the great bamboo lemur is one of the largest species, found in the southeast of Madagascar.

Undoubtedly, all lemurs are charming creatures, but perhaps the cutest are gray bamboo lemurs. These little elves are found in the east and north of the island.

Catta is the most popular lemur

Perhaps the most famous and “promoted” popular culture lemur – catta lemur (Lemur catta) or ring-tailed lemur. The local population calls it "maki".

Its distinctive feature is a luxurious tail with black and white rings. By the way, another name for this lemur is “ring-tailed.” It lives in dry woodlands in the south of Madagascar. Catta is the size of a cat, but truly beautiful. The bright white muzzle is decorated with large golden eyes framed by black glasses. The belly, chest, neck and ears are completely white, the fur on the back is gray or pinkish-brown. It is noteworthy that the entire skin of the body is black.

This lemur is called a cat lemur not only because of its long and fluffy tail. The sounds that the catta makes resemble meowing and purring. But this is in a calm state. When the animal is excited or frightened, it squeals loudly and shrilly.

In many reserves, ring-tailed lemurs are practically not afraid of people and can even allow themselves to be petted. Unlike their brothers, they spend a lot of time on the ground. They can walk, leaning on all 4 limbs and raising their tail high, or they can move only on their hind limbs, holding their body upright. In addition, they are capable of making fantastic leaps while remaining upright, just like humans.

In the homes of exotic lovers, it is the ring-tailed lemur that can be found most often than others.

Little hand - the most unusual lemur

The little hand, also known as the Madagascar little hand, also known as the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a truly alien creature. Outwardly, the aye-aye is completely different from its fellow lemurs. There was a time when, due to the peculiar structure of the teeth, the baton was even classified as a tropical rodent. Scientists argued for a long time about what species this should be classified as, but in the end they came to the conclusion that this is not a rodent at all, but a special species of lemur, only slightly deviated in development from the general trunk of the group.

The slender body, approximately 40 cm long, is covered with hard, straight dark brown or black hair, the tail reaches 60 cm. The muzzle is short compared to other species, decorated with orange-yellow or greenish eyes and huge leathery ears.

Madagascar bats live in the dry forests of the western part of the island. Seeing this lemur in person is not so easy; the animal is nocturnal and comes to the ground only occasionally.

Sifaka - the most jumping lemur

Verreaux's sifaka or crested indri (Propithecus verreauxi) lives in the northern part of the island. It is also called the dancing lemur, because it moves along the ground by jumping on its hind legs, with its arms spread wide. From the outside it seems as if he is performing some kind of funny dance. In general, sifakas are absolute champions in jumping and flying. They can easily jump onto the second floor of a residential building!

Sifaka is popularly called a sun worshiper. When the sun rises, he sits on a tree branch, raises his hands and freezes. It seems as if the animal is praying to its gods. In fact, lemurs bask in the sun specifically to warm their wrists. In this place there are glands that secrete a special lubricant. Hanging on a tree, the animal leaves its scent on the bark, which makes it clear to strangers whose territory it is.

The tiniest lemur

The dwarf mouse lemur (Microcebus myoxinus) is the smallest of the genus of mouse lemurs (you can read more about miniature lemurs). It lives in dry forests in the west of the island. The weight of the lemur does not exceed 40 grams. Look at the photo, the lemur fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, and the baby’s tail is larger than itself!

Sadly, there are very few lemurs left on our planet. Today almost everything known species have become rare and are listed in the Red Book. And man became the reason for the disappearance of these charming creatures. And if from your own natural enemies in nature - hawks, lemurs can hide in the foliage, then there is no salvation from a person who exterminates animals for commercial purposes, and also cuts down forests and bamboo groves, depriving the animals of their natural habitat. If this continues, then the only place where these amazing defenseless animals can find shelter will be zoos.

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Species: Lemur catta Linnaeus, 1758 = catta

Species: Lemur catta = Catta

Sizes are medium and large. Body length 30-45 cm. Tail length 40-51 cm. Muzzle pointed towards the nose. The hair is soft and relatively long. The catta is brownish-gray above, light below, and has alternating black and white rings on its tail. In the catta, the hand and foot are long, smooth below, the thumb is much smaller than the others, in contrast to other representatives of this genus. On the forelimbs of the catta there are specific skin glands; The lemur lubricates its tail with the secretion of these glands. In addition, his anal skin glands are highly developed. The upper incisors are small.

Katta is a terrestrial form, living among rocks in few dry forest areas. They usually live in groups of 5 to 20 individuals. As a rule, they lead a diurnal lifestyle. Only the wari makes nests; the rest find shelter under stones, in caves, and treetops. They feed on both animal and plant foods. They prefer fruits and insects. When eating, the prey is held in the front paws. Pregnancy 4-5 months. Usually in March-April the female brings one or two cubs. The lactation period is about 5 months. In captivity, common lemurs lived up to 25 years.

Distributed in Madagascar.

View: Lemur catta Linnaeus, 1758 = catta

The kata lemur has several names: kata, ring-tailed lemur, ring-tailed lemur, and the local Madagascar name is maki. Kata is called a ring-tailed lemur because it is the size of a cat and makes sounds similar to those of a cat: something similar to a meow or purr. When frightened or defending itself from an enemy, the kata lemur may squeal.

Kata lives in the south and southwest of Madagascar from Fort Dauphine to Monradov on the west coast in dry open spaces and forests at altitudes up to 2600 m above sea level with open areas and rocks.

The body length of the kata lemur ranges from 30 to 45 centimeters (average 42.5 cm); The length of the tail exceeds the length of the body and ranges from 40 to 60 centimeters. The body of the kata is covered with thick and soft hair. The top of the ring-tailed lemur's body and head are gray, sometimes ash-gray or rusty-red tones predominate. The lower part of the body is covered with bluish-gray, whitish hair. The muzzle is elongated and pointed, with rounded ears. The upper lip is bare. The muzzle and ears are whitish, the tip of the muzzle and the circle of the eyes are black. The eyes are bulging, large, close-set, which provides stereoscopic vision. The eyes themselves are lemon yellow. The tail is bushy and decorated with approximately 13-16 alternating black and white ringlets.

The weight of the ring-tailed lemur is 3-3.5 kilograms, while the female is usually somewhat smaller than the males.

The catta is the only lemur with a diurnal and terrestrial lifestyle, spending up to 40% of its time on the ground.

Katta begin their day by waking before dawn and moving from place to place in the branches of the group's "sleep" tree. In the evening, all members of the group gather on such trees, and during the day they can feed and travel as part of smaller independent groups. Accommodation and rest areas change periodically.

Soon after waking up, lemurs move to sunlit areas where they bask in the sun. Ring-tailed lemurs love to sunbathe with their tail and all four limbs spread out to the sides. The pose “basking” in the sun differs from stereotypical resting poses.

At the same time, lemurs also like to engage in grooming – stripping their fur. Lemurs have lower jaw six needle-shaped teeth (4 incisors and 2 fangs) form the so-called “brush”, which is used for combing wool and playing important role in social care. Usually, cleaning the fur is done in the morning after sleep and begins with licking and brushing the teeth, and ends with combing the fur with a special toilet claw located on the second toe of the hind limb (nails grow on the remaining toes). The same finger is also used when cleaning the ears.

When hungry, lemurs begin searching for food. When moving in front of the group, the dominant male acts, and the subdominants bring up the rear. Long striped tails provide group coordination. In a day they can walk 500–1000 meters, up to 6 km, and in one transition they usually cover up to 200 meters.

Cattas are good at climbing trees. Their limbs are of a grasping type of medium length, with the hind limbs longer than the front ones, and the hand and foot long, smooth below. Movable fingers and an opposable thumb allow you to grasp branches in a ring, and the presence of flat nails does not interfere with such a grip, and all this allows you to easily jump from tree to tree.

Due to emergency seasonal variability environment in which they live, lemurs must exploit a wide variety of nutritional sources all year round. They eat best ripe fruits, leaves, leaf stems, flowers, and a variety of animals: spiders, caterpillars, cicadas, grasshoppers, insect cocoons, birds, chameleons, and even termite mound waste. On occasion, they eat the eggs of birds and other small animals. The rather perfect design of the hand allows the katta to easily pick fruits and leaves. While eating, the catta takes the fruit with its paws, peels off the peel with its teeth, and, throwing its head back, eats the pulp, trying not to stain the fur with the juice.

One of the most important sources of food is the Indian date (Tamarindus indica), which is not only abundant, but with its fruits and leaf shoots provides up to 50% of their food all year round. In the driest parts of their range, the availability and accessibility of water - potentially serious problem. Kata lemurs can also get water from succulents.

Depending on the time of year, they usually rest again in the middle of the day after lunch, especially on hot days. After a lunchtime rest, they become active again as they feed and travel until the evening. Lemurs spend about 33% of their time on the ground, the rest on average or upper tiers trees (23% and 25%, respectively), in bushes (13%), and in other places (6%).

Kata climb rocks well and can easily hang upside down, clinging to a branch with their paws. They move along the ground by jumping, jumping 3 m up without any visible effort.

When communicating within a group, cattas actively use their famous tail as the main means of communication: by changing its position, raising or lowering it, they give signals to their partners. The kata lemur usually holds its tail above its back. When starting communication, he points his tail towards another individual. In response, peculiar purring and meowing sounds are heard. Usually such contact is preceded by aromatization of the tail. The lemur passes it under its belly and presses its tip to internal parties the right and left forearm, where there are glands marked with horny spines. Then the catta, sitting on its hind legs, rubs its tail with its hands, spreading the applied secretion over its surface.

The manipulation of inedible objects in lemurs is well developed, which is regarded as an important pre-adaptation for the development of intelligence. When handling various objects, lemurs usually use their forelimbs and mouth together. They often pick up food from the ground with their mouths, pick fruits or take them with their forelimbs, one or two, and immediately bring them to their mouths.

IN social structure there are similarities with great apes. Contacts in the group are mostly friendly (in addition to grooming, this also includes touching with the tip of the nose, jumping up, and fighting games), but there are also aggressive outbursts.

Kata lives in groups of 5-25 individuals, the core of which consists of adult females, they are the leaders in the herd. They have priority rights in choosing food and sexual partners. The female spends her entire life in her native herd, while the males travel in search of a new group when they reach sexual maturity.

There are two independent dominance hierarchies of females and males, with females being dominant over males. The hierarchy of females is stable. The dominance of the male is constantly established in fights. During the breeding season, the locomotor activity of males increases, their hierarchy is destroyed, and is restored only after the end of the mating season.

The family group occupies an area of ​​5.7 - 8.8 hectares, up to 0.2 km2, which lemurs walk around every day in search of food along certain routes, the direction of which is determined by the location of food objects. Observations have shown that the boundaries of the territory of individual groups of ring-tailed lemurs are very stable, and the owners of the territory show aggression towards strangers.

The mating season is strictly seasonal, beginning in mid-April, with cubs appearing in August-September. In kata, females' mating and birthing groups are extremely synchronized, with all babies typically born within a few days.

After 130-138 days (on average -135 days) of pregnancy, the female usually gives birth to 1 cub, but in the presence of abundant food, twins are also born.

The grip of the fingers serves baby lemurs well; Immediately after birth, a newborn baby grabs onto the mother’s fur on her belly, travels with her everywhere, and here he is constantly provided with parental affection and care. At the age of two weeks, having become somewhat stronger, it moves onto its mother’s back and then rides on it. At the age of 3-4 weeks, the cub begins to leave the mother's back and makes independent forays, returning to the mother during sleep and feeding. Mother's milk is the main food for several months, although at the age of a week the cubs begin to eat solid food. At the age of 5-6 months, the cubs practically become independent.

The cub reaches sexual maturity at the age of 3 years (in nature) or at 18 months (in conditions of detention). The female begins to reproduce starting from the age of three, and does this annually.

The lifespan of female kata lemurs in captivity is 20-25 years. In nature, they rarely live to be 16 years old, and the oldest known wild female was between 18 and 20 years old.

The life span of males is less known due to the peculiarities of their social system, but in nature it apparently reaches 15 years, in captivity - 27 years.

The cat has few enemies, however, several potential predators include carnivores such as fossa and civets, various snakes, and brown lemurs, which sometimes capture and eat baby ring-tailed lemurs. Local cats are also responsible for the death of young lemurs.

The main threats to this species are hunting by humans and habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation. Kata is listed in the IUCN Red List and in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade.

Stand out in a row interesting features, inherent only to these creatures.

Let's find out together what is so unusual about them that attracts the attention of not only researchers, but also ordinary people.

1. The name Lemur means “ghost of the night” in Latin.

2. Ring-tailed lemurs spend more time on the ground than all other lemur species.

3. Lemurs are the original inhabitants of the animal world of Madagascar.

4. Lemurs belong to the “Prosimians”, special type primates, the so-called "prosimians".

5. The smallest species of lemur, known as the "Dwarven mouse" or "Pygmy mouse" weighs only 30 grams.

6. Unfortunately, due to superstitions, local residents declared a real hunt for the Ai-Ai Lemurs, whom they consider accomplices of evil spirits and destroy them with the help of capacans and traps.

7. Lemurs have flat nails, very similar to human ones.

8. The lemur's diet consists mainly of fruits and leaves, and they are especially fond of dates, which can sometimes make up up to half of their annual diet.

9. They also eat insects, flowers, grass, bark, drink sap, and sometimes do not disdain rotten wood.

10. Every morning, lemurs bask in the sun, mostly in whole groups.

11. To communicate with relatives, in addition to sounds, these animals also use scents.

12. It’s interesting that lemurs sometimes use their tail to transmit scent, directing it in the right direction.

13. It is noteworthy that the length of the lemur’s tail exceeds the length of the body, exceeding half a meter in some species.

13. On the second finger of each hind limb there is a so-called “Toilet claw”, which the lemur uses mainly for self-care.

14. When threatened with attack, lemurs attack the enemy with their short nails.

15. If there is a lack of food, then they simply hibernate for a while.

16. Although the lemur is not a very common inhabitant of zoos, nevertheless, these animals feel good in captivity.

17. Life expectancy is about eighteen years.

18. The lemur’s wrists contain special glands that secrete odors.

19. In addition to communication, these glands are used by males in the process of the so-called “war of smells”, when they fight for females or territory.

20. Mature age for lemurs is two years, but few babies live even to this time.

21. It is the most divergent species of all primates from humans.

22. Lemurs once lived in Africa, but monkeys turned out to be too strong competitors for them.

23., the place where they live is the fourth largest island in the world.

24. Lemurs are very different in size: the smallest weighs 30 grams, and the largest can be up to 7 kilograms.

25. Blue-eyed lemurs are one of only two primate species (not including humans) that have truly blue eyes.

26. Lemurs moved from Africa to Madagascar by swimming, using trees to which they clung with their long tail.

27. These animals are able to control their own metabolism, slowing it down if necessary to save energy when there is a lack of food.

28. Most species of lemurs spend most of their lives high in the trees where they live.

By the way, when going on a trip to distant Madagascar, you will probably take with you a bunch of wearable electronics, from a camera and smartphone to a tablet and laptop, so you will definitely need a reliable and capacious mobile source of energy, in other words, you will need to buy an additional external battery or even not one. Indeed, despite the obvious progress and successes of Madagascar in technological development, access to stationary electricity is not available in all places visited by tourists, and where lemurs can be found, there is often no electricity at all for many miles around.

In Madagascar there are no monkeys, ungulates (except for the brush-eared pig, now extinct hippopotamuses and wild bulls), no rhinoceroses, elephants, predators (except for several species of civets), lagomorphs, real rats and mice, some reptiles (for example, agamas and monitor lizards), many African birds.

But they have their own local species, which are said to be endemic and do not live anywhere else. First of all (besides chameleons, of which there are 35 species!) are lemurs: two-fifths of all Madagascan mammals. The rest, almost three-fifths, are tanreks. Gold the bats- one species representing a special family, also only Madagascar. Total: five endemic animal families - three prosimians, one tanrek and one golden bats. Four endemic families of birds, two subfamilies of frogs, one python and two genera of iguanas known to be found only in South America, apart from another genus in the Fiji Islands.

The similarity with the fauna of distant continents is demonstrated not only by these huge lizards and iguanas, but also by frogs typical of the Indo-Malayan region, rodents related to the American ones, tanrecs - the “cousins” of the Antillean gaptooths, and, finally, the lemurs themselves, which, in addition to Africa, They are also found in very remote South Asian countries.

How could such a zoological cocktail come together in Madagascar?

The most likely explanation: once upon a time, all these now distant islands and continents were connected by land. This supposed giant continent, which 150 million years ago combined Africa with Madagascar, South America, Australia, South Asia and possibly Antarctica are called Gondwana or Gondwania. It broke apart to form modern continents and islands. Australia and, apparently, Antarctica were the first to sail to the southeast. The sea began to advance on that region of Gondwana, which is now flooded by the Indian Ocean. But another significant part of the continent connected Africa with Asia through the islands of Madagascar, Comoros, Amirante, Maldives, Laccadives and others. It is often called Lemuria, since perhaps this continent served as the center for the development of lemurs. And to this day, the largest number of their species has survived in Madagascar, this “quivering heart” of the lost Gondwana. Madagascar was connected to Africa a very long time ago and, apparently, again in glacial times through a chain of intermediate islands (Comoros and others). Then, probably, hippopotamuses, which later became extinct here, and brush-eared pigs moved to it.

All Madagascan prosimians are from the infraorder Lemuridae. Three families: true lemurs (16 species, including 6 dwarf lemurs), indris (4 species), and bats (1 species).

All true lemurs have bushy, long, solid-colored tails. Only the catta has a tail streaked with transverse black and white rings. There are five more species in the genus of true lemurs, all of them live in trees, while the catta lives on the ground and generally avoids forests and trees, preferring the rocky areas of Southern Madagascar. Its lifestyle is predominantly diurnal, as is the case with other representatives of its genus, except for the lemur, which, it seems, is also the only one of them that builds nests.

The cat's tail is the main information organ: like a black and white striped flag, raised up, it excites the cat's comrades. When the catta points its “flag” in their direction, they purr and meow with satisfaction. But usually the beginning of the “interview” is preceded by aromatization of the tail. Having folded it under itself and passed it under the belly between all four paws, the catta presses the end of the tail to the inner sides of the right and left forearm. Rubs against glands marked with horny spines. Having scented the tail, he first raises it above his head and, waving it, as if fluttering in the wind the scent acquired by the tail, squeaks, purrs, and meows pitifully.

Then follow rather mysterious manipulations, the meaning of which is not yet entirely clear.

Standing on its hind legs, the catta brings its tail forward and, bending either its right or left front hand towards it, again rubs its tail with them. He picks up leaves and pieces of bark from the ground and, pressing them to the same glands, rubs them with sharp movements. Then it rubs against the branches with the glands of the forearms, armpits and anal glands, which the catta also has.

Obviously, this is how he marks the boundaries of his revere. But tail rubbing is less explainable. If this is “cosmetics”, lubricating the fur, then why only the tail hair?

The catta walks along the ground, elegantly bending its luxurious tail over its back. He eats wild bananas and figs carefully so as not to stain his fur. Taking it in its paws, it rips off the peel with its teeth, and then, throwing its head back so that the juice flows directly into the mouth and does not stain the fur, eats the peeled fruit. He likes to bask, “sunbathe” in the sun, sitting on a stone and spreading his four limbs and tail wide to the sides. The animal's jumps are graceful and excellent: it jumps three meters up like a rubber ball, without difficulty.

All lemurs mark the boundaries of their territories in one way or another. Some do it like galagos and tupai, others do it differently. For example, black lemur. He has many sweat glands on his palms and wrists, and he diligently rubs his paws on tree branches.

Each flock of black lemurs has its own feeding territories. If neighbors violate them, all legal owners immediately rush to defend their borders. Noise, screaming, and bickering are common in such border conflicts. But the sleeping places, always in one specific place, are common for many of these groups, who were at war with each other during the day. Each flock comes there its own way, filling the forests with wild cries along the way, and at dawn leaves along the same road. A white-haired female of senior rank walks in front, followed in single file by all the others. The pace of the column's movement either speeds up or slows down; those who lag behind, and there will always be such, shout angrily, demanding to wait for them. It's usually the kids who lag behind. And with kids, everyone in the flock is gentle and caring. Whether they are our own or strangers, they are caressed, licked, combed.

A zoological misunderstanding occurred because of white-haired females. The males of these lemurs are brown and black, and the females are red with white mustaches, or rather sideburns. At first they decided that both were animals of different species.

Black, or macaque, lemurs jump through the trees with eight-meter leaps and rush through the foliage like birds! When are they being persecuted? predator birds, black lemurs escape like moths escaping the echo bearing of bats: they fall down from the height of a tree, sweep like lightning through the lower branches and undergrowth, then along the ground through the thicket of bushes to a distant tree and further along the tops.

Nine tenths of Madagascar's forests have been destroyed by logging. This threatens the death of many species of lemurs. The dwarf ruff-footed lemur appears to be extinct. The same fate apparently awaits the ruffed lemur in the near future.

And the lemur is interesting. He has lush sideburns and a thick collar around his neck. And the wool is surprisingly thick for a resident of the tropics, so dense that rainfall does not penetrate it. It is very beautifully colored: some races have piebald, black and white fur, others have red and black fur. Lives in tall forests in the north of the island.

Vari is the only nocturnal animal in the genus of true lemurs. And the only one who builds nests. The female, before the cubs are born, tears the hair on her sides and lines the nest with it. The mother wears the baby like a belt across her stomach, and later on her back.

He does not part with her for a long time. But the two-month-old is already jumping and playing with his father.

Vari, like the catta, purrs and meows when his peace of mind is not disturbed. But, excited or frightened, he emits such terrible and deafening screams that even a distant listener gets chills. When animals suddenly decide to scream in zoos, troubles happen to nervous visitors. In the wild mountain forests, the choral cries of the war, amplified many times by echoes, sound especially eerie.

For these heartbreaking cries and the manner of basking in the morning sun with outstretched arms and muzzle facing the sun (in a prayerful pose), the Malagasy formerly considered this prosimian to be a sacred sun-worshipper. They were afraid and did not offend Varya. And they got used to not being afraid of people. Nowadays, civilization and education have freed many from old superstitions, and the Vars have lost their centuries-old “safe conduct.” The well-being or death of animals depends so strangely and differently on man’s ancient belief in the supernatural.

While we were talking about Madagascar prosimians from the subfamily of true lemurs. In the latter, in addition to the genera of lemurs and hapolemurs, there are one or two more species of “frisky” lemurs from the genus lepilemurs. Frisky lemurs are interesting because they can tell the trees while standing, like a soldier. Pushing off from the branches only with straightened hind legs and balancing with arms and tail outstretched to the sides (I’ll say the same way, running forward, indris also jump). Lepi lemurs perform similar acrobatics at night, so it is impossible to see these circus acts. But recently a large study of lemurs was carried out in Madagascar and all this was examined through a telescope in infrared light.

The newborn lepilemur cub is so weak that during the first days it cannot hold onto its mother on its own, and she carries it in her mouth.

In the family of true lemurs, but in the subfamily of dwarf lemurs, there are six more species, and among them the smallest of the primates is the mouse lemur.

He's the size of a large mouse. Gray above, white below, on the muzzle along the bridge of the nose there is a white stripe. A nocturnal animal, it feeds on insects and some fruits. During the day it sleeps in hollows, lined with leaves. o Often builds bird-like nests of twigs in the forks of trees and lines them with wool.

And one more thing: the mouse lemur stores fat and sleeps during the hot dry season of the year, from July to September, without waking up either day or night.

Newborn babies (two or three in one litter) are so tiny - a thousand times smaller than that of a human. The mother carries the babies, grabbing the skin on her side with her teeth, and they never hang on her either from below or on her back.

The Indriaceae family is special. There are four species: indri, diadem sifaka, Verreaux's sifaka and awagi.

The largest is the indri, when standing on its hind legs - 93 centimeters. But his tail is tiny. All Madagascar lemurs have long tails. All other indriids are long (although they are almost without muscles and therefore seem to be useless). There are both black indri and almost white, but usually the combination of tones is like that of a Siamese cat: beige with dark brown. The muzzle is hairless and black. The throat pouch is connected to the larynx. Obviously this is a resonator; Indri's voice is powerful, "with plaintive intonations and harmonious modulations." In his screams one can hear both human screams of agony and horror, and something like a dog, which is why they called him " forest dog". And "indri" - due to a misunderstanding: from the Malgash "indri izyu" ("like this"). The exclamation, not related to the matter, was taken as the local name of the animal.

The old legend also explains the indri's nickname "amboanala" ("forest dog"): in former times, indris were supposedly tamed for hunting birds. There are many legends about him in Madagascar: both that he is the brother of man, and that he is dangerous to hunt. Firstly, because the indri grabs a thrown spear on the fly and immediately throws it accurately at the hunter. Secondly, he is a sun worshiper. At sunrise, in the morning hours, indri and sifaka, turning to the east and raising their hands to the sky, bask in the rays of the sun. The posture, in human eyes, is prayerful, hence the superstitious fear of imaginary priests of the sun.

The sifaka has an elongated and hairless muzzle, like an indri, but the tail is long and the ears are small, hidden in the fur. The color is variable, with yellow, red, and white tones. The sifaka has a better developed so-called patagium than all indriids: elongated skin on the sides of the arms up to the armpits and chest. This is the rudiment of a parachute, which we see in perfect form in flying squirrels and other gliding animals.

Avagi is generally similar to a sifaka, but smaller, the muzzle is rounded and covered with hair, as if Avagi, the only one in his family, is always unshaven. Brownish-gray with a red tail. A nocturnal animal, other indriids are diurnal.

All four are vegetarians. All jump through the trees, like lepilemuras, vertically, pushing off and clinging after the jump only with their hind legs with such force that sifakas, for example, often fly ten meters. They climb, calmly moving their paws. They jump on the ground on their hind legs, arms stretched out in front of them. The jumps are great - four meters!

In the northeast and some places in the northwest, in the remaining dense forests and bamboo jungles of Madagascar, the aye-aye lives. In Russian they also call it rukonozhka, although “rukodelets” would be more suitable.

So he woke up at sunset. He crawled out of the hollow and first of all, as is customary with lemurs, he combed his hair. He carefully cleans his black fur, ears, eyes, and nose. His fingers are surprisingly long, and the third one is especially thin, as if it had shrunk, it seems that only long, long bones remain in it. Use the third finger to clean the hand.

Having finished this matter, he jumps through the trees. He will find an old tree, eaten away by beetle larvae, and tap the bark with a dry finger, like a woodpecker with its beak. He knocks and, putting his large sensitive ears to the trunk, listens: will there be a void under the bark somewhere, will a stupid fat larva reveal itself with cowardly fuss?

As soon as this happens, the aye-aye immediately puts its amazing teeth into action. He has them like a squirrel: there are no fangs, and only two incisors above and below. And the incisors are just like those of a rodent: without roots, they grow throughout their lives. There is enamel only in the front, there is no enamel in the back, and therefore the teeth sharpen themselves. Because of them, it was previously believed that aye-ayes are closer to rodents than to primates. They established one for him special squad. But the famous English biologist Richard Owen, having studied the milk teeth of the arm, established that, by all indications, these are the teeth of a primate. They change a lot with age. And they change because, although the arm is not a rodent, it needs teeth to gnaw.

So, having established the exact location of the branched passages of the bark beetles, the aye-aye gnaws the bark. Having bitten a hole in it, he sticks a long third finger into the hole and removes the larva.

It eats sugar cane, gnaws on durable coconut shells and mangrove fruits. Give him an egg, and he will gnaw a neat little hole in it, then with his same irreplaceable finger, without breaking the shell, he will extract the yellow-white contents piece by piece and eat it.

Do you know how ai-ai drinks? With a finger. He quickly, quickly dips it in the water: dips it and sucks it off, dips it and sucks it off.

Aye-aye weaves skillful squirrel-like ball-nests (half a meter in diameter) from the leaves of the very famous palm tree “Tree of Travelers” and strengthens them with dry branches.

It is not very afraid of people and often, instead of running, it scratches and bites. For centuries it was protected by human superstitions. Killing a little hand, an old belief said, means signing one’s death sentence, which will come into force no later than six months later. If a man falls asleep in the forest, and the little hand sees him, he will build him a pillow from branches. If, upon waking up, a person finds a pillow under his head, he will be a rich man. If underfoot, he will soon die, unfortunate thing.

But a lot has changed in Madagascar, and, most importantly, the forests in which the little arms lived are being cut down. The animals are very rare and are becoming extinct. True, the government of the Malgash Republic decided to save the little arms. A small island off the north-eastern coast of Madagascar has been set aside for their residence.

“Before 1966, nine bats were moved there. These are, of course, only the first measures that should ensure the salvation of the species” (Dr. Kurt Kollar).

Lemurs are amazingly beautiful animals that belong to the group of wet-nosed primates. There are more than 100 species of these animals. The species united into 5 families have common characteristic features and individual characteristics. It's about about size, color, habits and lifestyle. Let's look at where lemurs live.

IN ancient greek mythology Lemurs were the name given to ghosts walking at night. Later, this name was assigned to small animals with massive eyes that caused horror among residents.

According to history, in ancient times huge lemurs lived on the territory of the island state. Their weight often reached two hundred kilograms. Today there are no such giants among lemurs.

Short-tailed indri - representatives largest species. They grow up to 60 cm in length and weigh about 7 kg. Among these primates there are also tiny ones. Dwarf mouse lemurs grow up to 20 cm in length and weigh no more than 50 grams. Let's look at other features of these mammals.

• The lemur has a dense, elongated body and a small, rounded head with an elongated, pointed mouth. On the sides of the oral cavity there are several pairs of vibrissae responsible for the sense of touch.
• The lemur is characterized by large, close-set, saucer-shaped eyes. The eyes are surrounded by a dark strip of fur, providing the effect of painted eyes. Therefore, the expression of the animal, even in a calm state, is something between fear and surprise.
• The rows of primate teeth have a non-standard structure. The incisors located on the upper jaw are set widely. From below, the incisors are in close proximity to the canines and are inclined forward, providing a “tooth comb” effect.
• These mammals have grasping limbs with five fingers. The toes have nails with the exception of the second toe. It is equipped with a long claw, used by the animal for hygienic purposes.
• All lemurs have thick fur. In some species it has a gray-brown color, in others it is black and white, in others it is red-brown. The ring-tailed lemur has a special color. Wide black and white stripes cover its long, spiral-shaped tail.
• A fluffy, long, luxurious tail is a distinctive feature of the lemur, which plays an important role in life. Animals use their tails to communicate and maintain balance when jumping. Only the short-tailed indri, despite its impressive body size, has a tail length that does not exceed 5 cm.

I think by now you are convinced that this wonderful animal has a truly exotic appearance. It is not surprising that lemurs are of great interest to humanity.

Habitat and habits of lemurs

In nature, lemurs are found in Madagascar and the Comoros Islands. In ancient times, primates inhabited the islands entirely, but over the years the distribution area has shrunk, and now they live exclusively in wooded areas. Today, many species are listed in the Red Book, so animals need protection and gentle treatment from humanity. Now about lifestyle.

1. Primates spend most of their time in trees. Using their tail as a balancer, they quickly and deftly move from branch to branch. Lemurs rest in trees, bask in the sun, and even breed offspring. If the animal ends up on the ground, it still moves by jumping, using 4 limbs.
2. They sleep on branches, clasping the tree with their feet and forelimbs. Some build shelters that resemble a bird's hollow. During rest, up to 15 sleeping individuals can be found in such a dwelling.
3. Almost all types of lemurs are social animals that live in their own territory. They live in family groups of up to 25 individuals, in which a strict hierarchy prevails. The team is led by a female. Endowed with power, she has several advantages regarding food and is the first to choose a partner when mating season.
4. The reproduction process also has its own peculiarities. At a time, the female gives birth to one baby, who is born 222 days after conception. During the first 2 months, the clingy cub hangs on the mother's fur. Later, the little primate makes independent forays, and becomes completely independent at the age of six months.
5. The number of females and males in the flock is approximately equal. Young females after puberty remain in the maternal pack, and males often move to other families. Although lemurs are social animals, they are often found alone and in pairs living separately.
6. The area of ​​territory owned by one family often reaches 80 hectares. Members of the herd mark the boundaries of their possessions with urine and secretions, aggressively and stubbornly protecting them from encroachment by strangers. Marking the site rests on the shoulders of all family members. Primates make deep scratches on the bark of trees with their claws and mark them with the fragrant secretion of the glands.
7. Lemurs use grunting sounds or high-pitched screams to communicate. Some species go into cordon with the onset of the dry period. Being in a state of low activity, the animal's body uses accumulated fat.
8. Lemurs are considered long-lived. In their natural environment they live up to 35 years. At home, they often live longer if the owner provides the animal with proper care and proper nutrition.

Video information

The behavior, as well as the lifestyle of lemurs, fully corresponds to their unique and interesting appearance. It's hard to believe that these amazing animals scare the inhabitants of the islands on which they live to death.

How and what do lemurs eat

The lemur is a herbivorous primate. However, nutrition largely depends on the type of mammal. The main part of the diet is represented by fruits, tree leaves, flowers, young shoots, tree bark and seeds.

Bamboo and golden lemurs eat bamboo shoots and foliage, and the ring-tailed lemur prefers the fruits of the Indian date. Indris feed exclusively on plant foods, while the diet of the little monkeys from Madagascar includes, in addition to coconuts, insect larvae. The dwarf lemur has the most varied diet. This animal readily eats plant pollen, resin, nectar, larvae and tiny insects.

Food of animal origin plays a secondary role in the lemur’s diet. Most often, beetles, praying mantises, moths, crickets, cockroaches and spiders end up on the table. In the diet of gray mouse lemur small chameleons and tree frogs. Dwarf species I don’t mind eating small birds either. It is noteworthy that representatives of the Indri species, in addition to plant foods, consume soil, which neutralizes the effects of toxic substances contained in plants.

The lemur's diet cannot be called particularly nutritious, so individuals devote a lot of time to rest. If we talk about food in the zoo, the animal quickly gets used to any food. The primate grabs food with its teeth or takes it with its forelimbs and sends it to oral cavity.

Lemurs from the cartoon "Madagascar"

In 2005, the animated film “Madagascar” was released on the wide screen. The picture quickly gained popularity around the world. One of the main characters of the cartoon was a lemur named Julian.

Julian is a ring-tailed lemur. In its natural environment, this animal lives in Madagascar. With its body size and walking, accompanied by its tail held high, the primate closely resembles a cat.

It is noteworthy that the ring-tailed lemur has exactly thirteen stripes on its tail. It is his business card.

In the wild, ring-tailed lemurs start their day with a sunbath. They sit comfortably and warm their bellies in the sun. Upon completion of the procedure, they go to breakfast. They eat fruits, leaves, flowers, cacti and insects.

In nature, lemurs of this species are often found. Nevertheless, the threat of extinction looms over the species. According to statistics, there are only 50,000 individuals on the planet, so the ring-tailed lemur was listed in the Red Book.

Ring-tailed lemur has recently become a favorite of tourists visiting Madagascar.

Where do lemurs live in captivity?

Many lemur species from Madagascar are endangered. This is the merit of humanity, which is actively destroying the natural habitats of these primates. Animals are also actively caught for resale. This is due to the increasing popularity of breeding as a pet.

In many countries around the world, lemurs are bred in special nurseries, where the living conditions are as close as possible to natural environment. There are similar establishments in Russia, but there are few of them, since breeding lemurs is a costly and troublesome task, just like breeding penguins.

Is it possible to keep a lemur at home?

Lemurs are easy to tame. These small primates are obedient and do not show aggression, which is why they are so popular among exotic animal breeders. In order for the animal to be comfortable in a house or apartment, it is recommended to provide the proper conditions before purchasing a pet.

• To keep a lemur at home you will need a spacious cage or a large terrarium. It wouldn’t hurt to install tree branches or several artificial vines in the house.
• It is recommended to fill the bottom of the home with dry sawdust. The filler will have to be changed frequently, since it will not be possible to accustom a primate to a litter tray, unlike a kitten. Failure to regularly clean the terrarium will result in an unpleasant odor.
• A small box with cotton wool or dry grass will not hurt in the lemur's abode. This place will serve as a bedroom for relaxation or comfortable pastime. A small drinking bowl is also needed.

The lemur has thick fur, but despite this, it does not like drafts. It is recommended to take this into account when choosing a location for arranging the monastery. exotic pet.

Lemurs are most active in the evening and at night, so it is better to feed the animal at this time. The diet should include a variety of foods. We are talking about boiled beets and potatoes, white cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers and radishes, fruits, cereals, boiled meat and bakery products.

Lemurs also like sweets. Include nuts, honey and dried fruits in your diet. Periodically pamper the animals with crickets, cockroaches or mealworms. Insects are sold in pet stores.

Lemurs belong to the category of non-conflict animals and easily get along with dogs and cats. With proper care, your pet will not break, chew or break anything. Problems can only arise with cornices and curtains - lemurs like to climb higher and watch the events taking place from a height.