Ring Tailed Lemurs - Jersey Zoo 01

Ring Tailed Lemur - Jersey Zoo 02

Ring Tailed Lemur - Jersey Zoo 03

"Ringtails are great sun-worshippers and the moment there is the most transient gleam of sunshine they seat themselves facing it, hand on knees or outstretched, heads pointing up with eyes closed in ecstasy, while they drink in the health giving rays."

THE ARKS ANNIVERSARY  ©Gerald Durrell 1990

Ring Tailed Lemur - Jersey Zoo 04

Ring Tailed Lemur - 05

An eclipse of the Sun took place in Madagascar on June 21st 2001

Ring Tailed Lemur

Lemur Catta

RANGE: Southern Madagascar

HABITAT: Dry rocky country with some trees

SIZE: Body 18 inches tail 2 feet

CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered. Loss of forest e.g. to charcoal burning, loss to predators like snakes or starvation in bad years. Estimates vary for remaining numbers from as many as 100,000 to as few as 10,000.

DIET: Fruit primarily including tamarind pods, leaves, bark, grass and resin.

NOTES: Their name derives from their black ringed tail. They live in groups of up to 25 with a social order. They are often active on the ground and by day. The females are dominant and can be aggressive. Fights occur between rival groups.  Males tend to fight  only over females. Gerald Durrell described seeing them "sitting in rows like decorative friezes" and "When they walk they do so with a swagger, and their tails are held proudly aloft like banners".

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