Ring-tailed Lemur

Ring-tailed lemur at Paignton Zoo, Devon

Class: Mammals
Order: Primates
Family: Lemuridae
There’s no mistaking the ring-tailed lemur! The zoo currently has an all-male group of ring-tailed lemurs, that live in Lemur Wood with our red-fronted lemurs.

This particular species of lemur is native to a range of habitats (forests and scrubs) across south and southwest Madagascar.

Ring-tailed lemurs are omnivores and consume anything from plants, fruit and leaves to insects and small chameleons.

Conservation

Habitat destruction and capture for the pet trade are the top threats to ring-tailed lemurs in Madagascar. However, the species does live in several protected areas within its native range, which offer differing levels of protection. Further research is being carried out on the wild population, to discover more about their ecology and behaviour.

Many ex-situ facilities such as zoos are in involved in conserving and raising awareness of ring-tailed lemurs, and there is a large, well-managed breeding programme.