Sunday, September 25, 2011

         Ring-tailed lemurs                                                                                                                                           The most recent addition to the zoo the ring-tailed lemurs belong to mammalian group. Ring tailed lemurs are an endangered species because to day their natural homes are being destroyed by man. Lemurs are primates that are related to monkeys and apes

There are about 22 species of lemurs and the ring tailed lemurs are considered unique among them. The ring tailed lemurs which are found only in the African island of Madagascar and some island are also known by African names of Hira (Malagasy) and Maki (Malagasy). They prefer to live in gallery forests and euphorbia bush habitats. They spend a lot of time on the ground ,could be seen moving about on all fours with their bottoms sticking up in the air.
 
This is because they have  front legs which are shoter than their back legs. Their body length averages between 15-18 inches. An average adult weights 2.3-3.5 kg and tails are longer  than their bodies and are about 55cm. 

As they are herbivores and enjoy eating fruits,leaves,flowers,tree barksand sap.thir breeding season is from mid-April through June. After  gestation period(pregnancy) of 4-4.5 months , the females gives birth to one or two babies at a time.                                                                                                                     As they are endangered species we have to protect them.