Endangered Species of Lemurs

Lemurs are a group of primates only found naturally in the wild on the island of Madagascar. On the island, eighty-eight different species of lemur are known to be spread between five scientific family groups. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists sixteen species or subspecies of lemur which are considered endangered, with six species listed as critically endangered.

  1. Indris and Sifikas

    • The lemur family, known as indriidae, has the highest number of endangered species of the five families of lemur. Of the eleven species in this family, seven are listed as endangered including the crowned, diademed, Milne-Edwards and the golden crowned sifikah lemurs. The indri, bemaraha wooly lemur and Lorenz van Liburnau's wooly lemur are all endangered. Two of the species in this family are classed as critically endangered, the silky and the Perrier's sifakah.

    True Lemurs

    • The family lemuridae consists of ten different species more commonly known as true lemurs. Four of the species in this family are listed as endangered. The red-ruffed, white-collared, Sanford's brown and the golden bamboo lemurs are all legally protected. Three of the family's species are critically endangered and considered close to extinction. The greater bamboo lemur, black and white ruffed lemur and the lake Alaotra gentle lemur are all impacted by deforestation, the major threat facing many Madagascan species.

    Dwarf and Mouse Lemurs

    • The family cheirogaleidae, more commonly known as dwarf or mouse lemurs, consists of twenty-one different species. The animals in this group are the smallest primate species in the world. All species in the family live in trees and are affected by deforestation. Of the many species in this family, four are considered endangered. Madame Berthe's, golden brown, Sambirano and the Tavaratra mouse lemurs are all declining in numbers.

    Sportive Lemurs

    • Sportive lemurs belong to the family lepilemur which consists of eight different species and a number of subspecies. The ankaran sportive lemur is listed as endangered. It lives in a small range in northern Madagascar of less than 5,000 square miles. Hunting is considered one of this species' main threats. The sahafary sportive lemur is critically endangered and found only in a few isolated areas in extreme northern Madagascar. The clearing of forest for charcoal production and hunting by the workers involved are both major factors in decreasing population numbers.