Measurements
Size: Head-body length – 51 - 56cm, Tail length – 56 - 65cm
Weight: 3 - 4.5kg
Red Ruffed Lemur
Varecia rubra
Ruffed lemurs, like all lemurs, are prosimians. They are 'so-named' because of their tufted ears and ruff round their necks.
Habitat
Red ruffed lemurs are restricted to the forests of the Masoala Peninsula of northeast Madagascar.
Diet
Red ruffed lemurs feed mainly on fruit and also eat flowers, leaves and seeds.
Breeding
Up to 4 young are born after a pregnancy of 3 months. They are hidden away in a nest until, at around 5 weeks old, they are old enough to follow their mother.
Conservation
Red ruffed lemurs are facing extinction in the wild due to the destruction of their forest habitat for agriculture and timber. Hunting is also a major threat. In the zoo they are part of a European Breeding Programme to help protect their numbers in captivity.
Threat Level
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