Black lemur
Scientific name: Eulemur macaco
IUCN listed as: Endangered
Learn before you visit!
Here are some facts about the species – Discover what they eat, find out about their natural habitat, see what they like to do, and more… Set the reading style to suit you too, everyday speak or something aimed towards children.
Child-friendly
Everyday
Diet
Black Lemurs primarily feed on fruits, leaves, flowers, and occasionally insects. They are important seed dispersers in their habitat, helping to maintain forest diversity. Their diet varies seasonally, with fruits being a major component during certain times of the year.
Black Lemurs mostly eat fruits, leaves, and sometimes insects they find in the forest. They help plants grow by spreading seeds around when they eat fruit and move through the forest.
Breeding
Breeding in Black Lemurs typically occurs from April to June. Females give birth to one or two offspring after a gestation period of around 120 days. The young lemurs are nursed by their mothers and begin to explore their environment within a few weeks.
When it’s time to have babies, girl Black Lemurs usually have one or two babies after waiting for about four months. The babies drink their mum’s milk and start exploring the world around them.
Habitat
Black Lemurs are endemic to Madagascar, where they inhabit rainforests, moist forests, and gallery forests. They prefer areas with dense vegetation and tall trees, providing them with food resources and suitable nesting sites. Habitat loss due to deforestation poses a significant threat to their survival.
Black Lemurs live in the rainforests and wet forests of Madagascar. They like places with lots of tall trees and plants where they can find food and make homes. People cutting down forests are making it hard for them to survive.
At the zoo
In zoos, Black Lemurs are housed in enclosures resembling their forest habitat. They are provided with a varied diet including fruits, vegetables, and special lemur biscuits. Zoo visitors can observe their social interactions and agile movements in these environments.
In zoos, Black Lemurs live in spaces that look like their home in the forest. They get to eat fruit, vegetables, and special lemur biscuits. You can watch them play and talk with their friends.
Behaviour
Black Lemurs live in small social groups led by dominant females. They communicate through various vocalizations, including alarm calls and contact calls. They are agile climbers, spending much of their time in the forest canopy foraging for food and socializing.
Black Lemurs like being with their friends in small groups with the bossy girls leading the way. They talk to each other with different sounds, like shouting to say “be careful!” or “let’s eat!” They spend lots of time climbing through the trees to find food and hang out.
Fun facts
- Colourful Eyes: Black Lemurs have striking orange eyes that stand out against their dark fur.
- Skilled Jumpers: They can leap between branches in the forest canopy with great agility.
- Scent Markers: Black Lemurs use scent glands on their wrists to mark their territory and communicate with other lemurs.
- Morning Stretch: They often engage in sunbathing and stretching rituals in the early morning to warm up.
- Habitat Helpers: By spreading seeds while eating fruits, Black Lemurs play a crucial role in maintaining the diversity of plants in their habitat.
- Bright Eyes: Black Lemurs have cool orange eyes that look awesome with their dark fur.
- Super Jumpers: They’re amazing at jumping from one tree branch to another in the forest.
- Smelly Signs: Black Lemurs have smelly spots on their wrists to show where their home is and talk to their friends.
- Morning Sun: They love to sunbathe and stretch in the morning to wake up and get ready for the day.
- Forest Friends: Black Lemurs need our help because people are cutting down their forests where they live.
More animals to discover at our zoo
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