The Lifespan of a Lemur

Known for its long black and white striped tail, the ring-tailed lemur ("lemur catta" in Latin) is the most recognizable of the lemur species, of which there are nearly 60 species and sub-species. Though nearly 2,000 lemurs can be found on display in zoos around the world, the only place they exist in the wild is Madagascar, a large island off of the southeast coast of Africa.

  1. Life Span

    • In the wild, lemurs live between 16 and 19 years. Females typically do not live longer than 16 years. Due to the social structure of groups of lemurs and the fact that females are dominant, scientists have had difficulty studying the life spans of male lemurs. The oldest lemur in captivity lived to 27 years of age; lemurs in captivity tend to live longer for a variety of reasons, including medical treatment, a reliable source of food and no threat to their habitat.

    Diet

    • The majority of lemurs are herbivores; they only eat plants, including fruit, seeds, leaves, bark and sap. Some species of lemurs also consume insects or insect larvae, eggs, frogs and lizards.

    Behavior

    • Some species of lemurs are nocturnal and some are not. Nocturnal lemurs tend to be smaller and more withdrawn than lemurs that are active during the day. All lemurs are vocal with a wide range of sounds, and they are especially noisy when danger is near. They also communicate using scents by rubbing their scent glands on trees and branches in an attempt to mark territory. Older female lemurs are dominant in a group of lemurs: they get the best food, and they are responsible for fighting during conflicts between groups.

    Habitat

    • Lemurs are native only to the island of Madagascar, specifically the southeast quadrant, at elevations between sea level and about 9,000 feet above sea level. They can live in a number of different habitats, including rain forests, deciduous forests and spiny bush forests -- lemurs require forest cover. Temperatures in this part of the island typically range from 20 to 80 F, and rainfall averages approximately 2.5 feet per year.