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The red ruffed lemurs are the largest lemurs found at the
Myakka City Lemur Reserve, weighing 3.3 to 3.8 kg (approximately
8 lbs) and the largest in the family Lemuridae. They are
quite distinctive with bright pelage that varies from strawberry
blond to deep red, with black on the face, abdomen, chest, tail
and inside of the legs and arms; a creamy patch can be seen at
the base of the head (Mittermeier et al, 2006). The staff
at the reserve often use the patches of white found on the hands
and feet to distinguish one individual from another. In
the early morning, early evening, and randomly throughout the
day, the red ruffed lemurs give a raucous loud call that can be
heard for miles.
The red ruffed lemurs are diurnal (active during the day) and
predominately frugivorous (eating mostly fruit). In the
wild, as much as 75% to 90% of their diet is fruit (Vasey,
2000b). They will also eat flowers, nectar, and some
leaves. At the reserve, the red ruffed lemurs are fed a
mixture of fruits, vegetables, and manufactured primate food.
For enrichment, they may get flowers, leaves, dried fruit, or
baby food.
In Madagascar, red ruffed lemurs can only be found on the
Masoala Peninsula and typically inhabit tropical moist lowland
forest. They prefer tall forests, and are often seen in
the crowns of large feeding trees (Vasey, 1997b). At the
reserve, the red ruffed lemurs prefer the large horizontal
branches of the live oaks but move quickly, agilely, and
frequently through the crowns of our tallest slash pines.
In their native habitat, the red ruffed lemurs’ mating season
runs from May to July and offspring are born from September
through early November (Brockman et al., 1987; Schwitzer, 2003).
Because Florida is above the equator rather than below, which
changes the seasons, the red ruffed lemurs here breed between
November and January and offspring are born around May and June.
The gestation period is 99-106 days (Duke University, 2000).
In captivity, litter size varies from 1-5, with 2 and 3 being
most common. Despite being diurnal, red ruffed lemurs “park”
or “stash” their babies, like many nocturnal prosimians, rather
than having young that cling to their mother at birth (Petter,
1962; Vasey, 1997a). The young grow extremely rapidly, as
the staff at the reserve observed with LCF’s first litter of red
ruffed lemurs born in April, 2007.
The latest IUCN Red List categorizes the red ruffed lemurs as
Endangered (EN A2cd) (Mittermeier et al, 2006). They are
threatened by habitat loss and hunting (Simons and Lindsay,
1987; Rigamonti, 1996; Vasey 1996, 1997b). The Masoala
Peninsula also experiences frequent cyclones; as the extant
populations of red ruffed lemurs are concentrated on that
peninsula, cyclones threaten to catastrophically impact the
survival of this species (Kremen, 1998). Captive
populations can be found in the United States and Europe but
these populations have limited genetic diversity (Schwitzer,
2003). The captive red ruffed lemurs housed at the reserve
participate in the AZA’s cooperative breeding program to help
safeguard the species against extinction, improve the captive
population’s genetic diversity, and serve to learn more about
these engaging animals.
Works Cited:
Duke University. 2000. Courtesy of Elwyn Simons.
Brockman , D.K., Willis, M.S., and Karesh, W.B. 1987.
Management and husbandry of ruffed lemurs, Varecia variegata, at
the San Diego Zoo. II. Reproduction, pregnancy,
parturition, litter size, infant care, and reintroduction of
hand-raised infants. Zoo Biology 6: 349-363.
Kremen, C. 1998. Madagascar creates its largest
protected area on the Masoala Peninsula. Lemur News 3:
1-3.
Mittermeier R, Konstant W, Hawkins F, Louis E, Langrand O,
Ratsimbazafy J, Rasoloarison R, Ganzhorn J, Rajaobelina S,
Tattersall I, Meyers D. 2006. Lemurs of Madagascar. Washington
D.C.: Conservation International. 520 p.
Peter, J.-J. 1962. Recherches sur l’écologie et
l’éthologique des lémuriens malgashes. Mémoires Museum
National de Nistoire Naturelle, Paris (A) 27: 1-146.
Rigamonti, M.M. 1996. Red ruffed lemur
(Varecia variegata rubra): a rare species from the Masoala
rain forests. Lemur News 2: 9-11.
Schwitzer, C. 2003. Energy intake and obesity in
captive lemurs Primates, Lemuridae). Dissertation.
Köln: Universität zu Köln. Münster: Schüling
Verlag. 153 pp.
Simons, E.L. and Lindsay, N.B.D. 1987. Survey
work on ruffed lemurs (Varecia vareigata) and other primates in
the northeastern rain forests of Madagascar. Primate
Conservation 8: 88-91.
Vasey, N. 1996. Clinging to life: Varecia
variegata rubra and the Masoala coastal forests. Lemur
News 2: 7-9
Vasey, N. 1997a. Community ecology and bbehavior
of Varecia variegatarubra and Lemur fulvus albifrons on the
Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar. Ph.D. thesis, Washington
University, St. Louis.
Vasey, N. 1997b. How many red ruffed lemurs are
left? International Journal of Primatology 18:
207-216.
Vasey, N. 2000b. Plant species composition of diet in
two sympatric lemurs: Varecia variegata rubra and Eulemur
fulvus albifrons. American Journal of Physical
Anthropology 30(suppl.): 309-310.
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