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Lemurs are a primate species endemic to Madagascar. They belong to the Strepsirrhine suborder. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, they are the most endangered species of mammal in the world, with 94% of the species on the IUCN Red List.
See the fact file below for more information on the lemurs, or you can download our 22-page Lemurs worksheet pack to utile within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Introducing the Endangered Lemur
- Lemurs are considered the world’s oldest primates, and there are over 100 species in all shapes and sizes. They are endemic to the island of Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of southern Africa.
- Most lemurs have monkey-like bodies, long hind limbs, pointed snouts, large eyes, and long tails. The most common colors are black, white, gray, and red-brown. In the smaller species, their faces resemble that of a mouse, and in the larger species, it resembles a fox‘s face.
Etymology and Distribution
- The word lemur comes from the Latin word lemures, which means “spirits of the dead”.
- In Roman mythology, lemures referred to a nocturnal and slow loris. The word eventually referred to what we now know as lemurs.
- In 1758, Carl Linnaeus named lemurs an official genus.
- Linnaeus included three species:
- Lemur volans
- Lemur tardigradus, known as the red loris
- Lemur catta or the ring-tailed lemur
- They are strepsirrhine primates. Other strepsirrhines are lorises, galagos, and pottos.
- Lemurs are found only on the island of Madagascar and a few tiny neighboring Comoro Islands. They also used to live in Africa, where they competed with monkeys for food and resources. When Madagascar became separate from eastern Africa about 150 million years ago, it is surmised that lemurs mounted driftwood and other floating objects to cross waters to Madagascar.
- Lemurs occupied the whole island until humans arrived around 2,000 years ago. Sadly, lemurs now live on only 10% of the island’s area due to much of the land being converted for agricultural use.
Physical Characteristics
- Lemurs vary greatly in size, from the smallest primate to one of the largest.
- Many lemurs are now extinct. The remaining lemurs range in size from about 1.1 oz (30 g) up to 20 lb (9 kg).
- Lemur’s sense of smell is highly important and is frequently used in communication.
- They scent mark both with urine and use the scent glands on their necks, wrists, inside the elbows, and in the genital region.
- Lemurs have five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot, a small brain-to-body ratio, and a wide visual field.
- All lemurs have a wet, hairless nose with curved nostrils, which is unique among primates and makes them superior sniffers.
- Their long tails are used for communication and balance, and their long hind limbs make them great at leaping.
- Lemurs are arboreal creatures that mostly live in trees.
- They are most active at night and enjoy sunbathing during the day.
Types of Lemur
- A giant lemur named Megaladapis edwardsi is described by the American Museum of Natural History as being the size of a small adult human.
- Ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) are active on the ground most of the time, unlike other lemur species who spend most of their lives in trees.
- The Dwarf Mouse lemur (also known as Pygmy Mouse lemur) is the smallest species of lemur. It weighs only 30 grams and is 2.5 in (6 cm) in body length, excluding the tail.
- The sifaka lemur, which maintains a vertical posture, is one of the most endangered primates.
- The aye-aye lemur has teeth like rodents and a very thin middle finger and is often hunted down, trapped, and killed because of superstitious beliefs that they’re connected to wicked spirits.
- There are two types of ruffed lemurs, the red ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra) and the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata). Ruffed lemurs are important plant pollinators.
- The indri, also known as babakoto, is one of the largest lemurs, can weigh up to 15 pounds, and has an upright posture when it climbs trees.
Diet
- Smaller species of lemurs are mostly omnivores, consuming fruit and insects.
- The larger species are more herbivorous, consuming mostly plant material, fruits, and leaves. Tamarind fruit is one of their favorites, but they eat wood, bark, flowers, and insects.
- Lemurs can slow down their metabolism when food is scarce.
Reproduction and Young
- There are many different species of lemur, so reproduction varies considerably.
- Lemurs take one to three-and-a-half years to reach adulthood/maturity, depending on the species.
- Mating season usually lasts less than three weeks each year.
- Gestation periods range from 9 weeks to 24 weeks.
- Baby lemurs, called pups, generally cling to their mother’s fur for the first three or four weeks and then ride on her back until they are 3 to 4 months old. Some species hide their pups while they forage for food. Sadly infant mortality is high.
- Weaning generally occurs shortly after the eruption of the first permanent molars.
Conservation
- 94% of lemur species are listed on the IUCN Red List as threatened, with 49 species considered endangered and 24 species critically endangered.
- Major threats to lemurs include hunting, exotic pet trade, habitat loss caused by climate change, habitat destruction, and degradation due to logging.
- In 1927 the Malagasy government declared all lemurs “protected” and established areas where they would be safe from humans.
- There are currently 18 national parks, 5 nature reserves, 22 special reserves, and several small private reserves.
Did You Know?
- A female lemur is called a princess.
- Female lemurs are feisty and often socially dominant over males.
- Lemurs are social creatures forming groups called troops.
- Lemurs communicate with other lemurs using their tails and their scents.
- Blue-eyed lemurs, aside from humans, are one of the only two primates with blue eyes.
- A lemur’s second toe is often used for grooming and is called the “Toilet Claw”.
- In the wild, lemurs hibernate when food is scarce and have a lifespan of about 18 years. They thrive in captivity and live much longer.
Lemur Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about lemurs across 22 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use Lemur worksheets are perfect for teaching students about lemurs, a primate species endemic to Madagascar. They belong to the Strepsirrhine suborder. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, they are the most endangered species of mammal in the world, with 94% of the species on the IUCN Red List.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
- Lemur Facts
- Supply the Meaning
- All About Madagascar
- True Trivia
- She’s The Boss
- What’s the Primate
- Lemur Profiles
- Help! We’re Endangered!
- Caption This
- Look! A Lemur!
- Larry the Lemur
Frequently Asked Questions
Are lemurs a type of monkey?
Lemurs are a type of primate, as are apes, monkeys, and humans. Unlike humans and monkeys, lemurs have moist noses and rely heavily on their sense of smell.
Do humans eat lemurs?
Because of cultural beliefs, lemurs are widely hunted for food, bartering, and gifting. Although this is now illegal, they are still taken from the wild, which is a concern because they are now in danger of extinction.
How long do lemurs live?
In the wild, lemurs survive up to 18 or 20 years. However, many zoos around the world have different species of lemur, and with consistent food supply and care, they live up to 30 years.
Are lemurs considered intelligent?
Lemurs, monkeys, apes, and humans are all primates with some level of intelligence and, therefore, capable of some level of learning. Lemurs, however, are considered less intelligent than all other primates.
Do lemurs have hands or paws?
Lemurs have hands, not paws. The grasping hands and feet are well adapted for life in the trees, with pads on the fingers and toes to provide traction on tree trunks and branches.
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Link will appear as Lemur Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 20, 2018
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.