Did You Know?

Lemurs are the most endangered group of mammals. 98% of lemur species are threatened with extinction, and 31% of species are critically endangered! Most of this is attributed to deforestation and subsequent habitat loss. (IUCN)

With every purchase, a portion of proceeds are donated to the Lemur Conservation Foundation.

There are over 100 different species of lemur, all endemic to the island of Madagascar, off the Eastern coast of Africa. This means they only naturally occur here, nowhere else in the world!

Where does the name “lemur” come from? Carl Linnaeus, the founder of modern taxonomy, coined the name in 1700’s. It is derived from the Latin root word lemures, which translates to a ghost or malevolent nocturnal spirit. It is speculated that the nocturnal nature of many lemurs, combined with their large, “glowing” eyes, are the cause of the association.

Those big eyes aren’t just for show! Most lemurs have excellent night vision. This is largely due to a reflective layer behind their retinas (tapetum lucidum) that allows their eyes to capture more light in darker conditions. This is the same structure that causes your cat’s eyes to reflect light!

Most lemurs have evolved to be excellent jumpers, navigating between trees. Sifaka lemurs are known to jump a maximum of between 30 and 40 feet! This is possible due to specialized spring-loaded tendons in their legs.

Lemurs are considered to be the world’s oldest living primates!

Most lemur species are matriarchal, which means that the females are in charge! The troops will have a hierarchy of females who vary in dominance, and males who are at the very bottom.

Besides humans, lemurs are some of the only primates to have naturally occurring blue eyes. (Blue-eyed black lemurs)

Lemurs fill an ecological niche in Madagascar as seed dispersers, making them crucial in the life cycles of many plants. As they eat fruits and vegetables, they pass the seeds undigested through their stool, which allows them to grow in new areas as the lemurs move along.

Ring-tailed lemurs, the most recognizable lemur (and my favorite), are the most terrestrial lemur species. They spend about 30-50% of their time on the ground, while most other lemur species spend almost all of their time in the trees.