Author: Noelle M. Brooks

Ring-tailed lemurs possess the most complex scent marking behavior of primates and use scent for territorial defense, mate evaluation, and intrasexual competition.

Along with other species of lemurs, ring-tailed lemurs are responsible for several wildlife reserves being put into place and protecting all other plant and animal species in the area.

Female ring-tailed lemurs typically mate with multiple males during estrous, so males will compete amongst themselves for the right to mate.

Ring-tailed lemurs have improved the economy of Madagascar as they are a common draw for ecotourism.

Ring-tailed lemurs begin mating in April and give birth to 1-2 offspring between August and September after a gestation of 130-144 days.

Because the ring-tailed lemur's habitat has been altered by humans, their range is large, but their distribution is patchy and dependent on forest cover.

Ring-tailed lemurs are diurnal and search for food from dawn until dusk before huddling together at night to sleep.

Ring-tailed lemurs have four thin fingers and a thumb, with an opposable first toe on the lower appendage to help with climbing trees.

Ring-tailed lemurs have a complex social hierarchy in which females are dominant over males and stay within their native troop.

Ring-tailed lemurs are well-known for their thermoregulatory "sunning" postures, in which they sit upright with their forearms on their knees.

Because of their highly seasonal environment, ring-tailed lemurs are opportunistic omnivores and must exploit a wide variety of food sources throughout the year.

There is no physical sexual dimorphism in the ring-tailed lemur as male and females average the same size of 42.5cm and 2.2kg.

The fur of a ring-tailed lemur is thick and dense and is a solid color ranging from gray to brown being lighter around the face and underbelly.

Ring-tailed lemurs have overlapping home ranges, averaging 1,000m, that are seasonally expanded depending on habitat and habitat quality.

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.

The ring-tailed lemur is named for its long, thick, black-and-white-ringed tail and is the only lemur species to possess a striped tail.

Ring-tailed lemurs are found in rainforests, continuous canopy, humid montane, subalpine, dry deciduous, gallery, mixed, dry brush, and spiny thorn, scrub bush forests.

Ring-tailed lemurs are endemic to 9 forests in southern and southwestern Madagascar on the continent of Africa.

Ring-tailed lemurs are highly social and live in groups of 15 to 30 called troops, the largest of any lemur species.