Ring-tailed lemur at Paignton Zoo, Devon
Order: Primates
Family: Lemuridae
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.