LEMURS
Spirits of the night
The word Lemur is Latin and means spirits of the night. It is believed that they inhereted their name because there are many legends throughout cultures that talk about the Lemurs being active at night and their eyes reflect the light. Some say they are ancestors that appears to the living.
My favorite thing about Lemurs is that they are social animals, they usually live in groups by six to twelve. The children of the bigger species will ride on their mother's stomach or back while moving around. It is not uncommon that the community will help with the care of the children. Their diet consist of fruits, leaves and insects, some zoos say their favorite food is banana.
Did you know that lemurs have a female-dominated society?
There are over 100 species of lemur, in all shapes and sizes. Even though not a true species, my love for them came through a stuffed animal that I've had throughout my childhood! The lemurs originally come from Madagascar, an island located about 250 miles off the coast of Africa. The lemur is now one of the oldest primates in the world, where cientists believe that a lemur-like species lived among dinosaurs.
Nine out of ten species are on the verge of being extinct. The primary threat to lemurs is habitat loss, as forests are ruined by agriculture and illegal
logging. Before humans first arrived 2000 years ago, the lemurs were spread all over the island. More than 80 percent of lemur habitat in Madagascar has been lost since then. The species are also threatened by illegal hunting, sales and climate change.
You can learn more through you national WWF organization, or visit
www.worldwildlife.org