Ring-tailed Lemurs | Ponderosa Zoo

Ring-tailed Lemur

(Lemur catta)

Ring-Tailed Lemurs are found only on the African Island of Madagascar. They are easy to spot due to their long stripy tails and bright yellow or amber eyes. Unlike most other lemurs, Ring-Tailed Lemurs spend 40% of their time on the ground, moving on all fours along the forest floor. They are a social species, occurring in groups of between 3 to 25 individuals, made up of roughly the same amount of each sex.

FUN FACTS

Animal Class: Mammals.

Distribution: Madagascar.

Habitat: Forests, shrublands, rocky areas, caves, subterranean habitats.

Diet: Primarily eat fruit from Madagascan trees.

Appearance: Grey fur with white patches on their faces, ears, and underbelly. They have long tails with black and white rings, and bright yellow or amber eyes.

Size: Approx 39-46cm. Weigh approx 2.2kg.

Lifespan: Between 16 and 19 years.

Allergen information: Please note if you happen to visit our lemurs there is the possibility of peanuts being present in their enclosure as it is part of their diet.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Endangered.

Population Trend

Decreasing.

Threats

Habitat loss, hunting and the illegal pet trade.

Population

Unknown.

Did you know?

The females are the most dominant of the group. Males have their own hierarchy among themselves which are fought over by the males smearing special scents on to their tails and wafting them high into the air.

See Our Ring-Tailed Lemurs

We have five Ring-tailed Lemurs at Ponderosa Zoo, their names are Percy, Lexi, Anya, Zuri and Rakoto and you can find them in our Lemur Walkthrough exhibit.

Zoo – 01924 235276 / office@ponderosa-centre.co.uk

Lakeside Restaurant – 01924 404604 / lakeside@ponderosa-lakeside.co.uk

Day Care – 01924 404154

Ponderosa Zoo, Off Smithies Lane, Heckmondwike, WF16 0PN

Opening Hours 10am – 4pm on weekdays and 10am – 5pm on weekends.