Fort Wayne Children's Zoo - Ring-Tailed Lemur

Open Daily
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Ring-tailed Lemur

Scientific Name:	Lemur catta
Range:	Madagascar
Habitat:	Forests
Natural Diet:	Fruit, leaves, bark, flowers, grass, and sap
Zoo Diet:	Fruit and monkey chow
Physical Characteristics:	The body of a ring-tailed lemur is up to 18 inches long, and their tail is about 22 inches long. Their bodies are covered with soft, thick, brown-grey fur that is very pale on their chest and stomach. The white face, with dark, triangular eye patches, has large, bright eyes, a pointed muzzle, and a black nose. Black and white rings run down a long, bushy tail. Ring-tailed lemurs mark their territory by using stink glands to leave a strong smell behind them.
Behavior:	Ring-tailed lemurs are active both during the day and at night. Although they live mainly on the ground, they are very comfortable moving around in treetops. Lemurs escape to these treetops when threatened. They will defend their territory and signal alarm with loud calls. When ring-tailed lemurs walk on all four feet, they often hold up their tail in the shape of a question mark. Lemurs eat by holding a piece of fruit with their front feet. Preening takes up much time of a lemur’s time. Ring-tailed lemurs live in social groups of five to twenty individuals. The group huddles together to stay warm in cold weather. Males move from group to group, but females, who are dominant over males, and their young stay together.
Reproduction:	Ring-tailed lemurs are born with lots of hair and with eyes wide open. At first, the baby clings to its mother’s chest, but later it will ride on her back. The young are independent after six months.
Notes:	The word “lemur” is Latin for “ghost.” At the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, you can find ring-tailed lemurs in the Central Zoo.