Madagascar’s lemurs, including the ring-tailed lemur, are the most endangered group of mammals and represent the highest primate conservation priority in the world.
Madagascar’s lemurs, including the ring-tailed lemur, are now deemed the most endangered group of mammals and represent the highest primate conservation priority in the world. There are almost 2,000 ring-tailed lemurs in captivity, but the wild population is unknown.
The ring-tailed lemur is listed as “Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and now occupies primarily fragmented forest habitats. Due to anthropogenic disturbances, an estimated 10% of Malagasy forest cover remains.
Due to ongoing anthropogenic threats faced by ring-tailed lemurs, continued conservation and research initiatives are imperative for long-term viability of the species.
Sources: (Andriaholinirina, et al., 2014; Clarke, Gray, Gould, & Burrell, 2015; Harcourt & Thornback, 1990)
Image: Mathias Appel
