Mongoose Lemur
Eulemur mongoz
Conservation Status
Critically EndangeredMammalia · Primates · Lemuridae
About
The mongoose lemur is a small primate in the family Lemuridae, native to Madagascar and introduced to the Comoros Islands. These arboreal animals have pointed faces, long, bushy tails, dark-brown upper parts, pale bellies, and beards, which are reddish in males and white in females. They live in family groups and feed primarily on fruit, but also eat leaves, flowers, and nectar, with nectar from Ceiba pentandra trees making up a large part of their diet during the dry season. They have declined sharply in numbers because of habitat destruction and hunting, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated their conservation status as "critically endangered".
Fun Fact
They are unusual among primates in that they are diurnal or nocturnal, depending on the season, being more active during the day in the wet season and changing activity to the night during the hotter dry season.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Lives in dry deciduous forests on the island of Madagascar and in the humid forests on the islands of the Comoros.
Diet
Eat leaves, flowers, and nectar, with nectar from Ceiba pentandra trees making up a large part of their diet during the dry season.
Lifespan
26 years (wild)
Threats
- Habitat Destruction
- Pollution
- Invasive Species
- Over-Collection
- Climate Change