MONGOOSE LEMUR
Lemur mongoz

Phylogeny: Class — Mammalia; Order — Primate; Family — Lemuridae. Note: Some taxonomists say Eulemur mongoz.

We don't get around much: All lemurs are from Madagascar (formerly the Malagasy Republic) or the nearby Comoro Islands, but the Mongoose Lemur is from northwestern Madagascar and the Comoro Islands.

Habitat: Forests.

Diet: Flowers, fruits and leaves.

All tail: Head and body length is 12-18 inches, tail is 16-25 inches and weight is 4 to 6 1/2 lbs. Fur is soft and relatively long, with a pronounced ruff about the neck and ears. Their color is blackish-brown, resembling that of a mongoose, hence the name.

Reproduction: Mating season is from April to June. Gestation lasts about four months so the young are born from August to October, just before the rainy season. Usually a single young is born though twins are not rare. In the first four weeks, the newborn rides on its mother's stomach, then it transfers to her back. Weaning occurs in about 4 1/2 months and sexual maturity at about 18 months.

Longevity: About 18-22 years, though in captivity a few live longer.

Other lemurs make me nervous: Mongoose lemurs are active quadrupeds that run and walk on tree branches, leaping from one to the other with great agility. On the ground they move on all fours, with an occasional burst of bipedal running. In some areas they are nocturnal, but diurnal in others. They live in small family groups but when home ranges overlap and they meet another group, there is much agitation.

Status: Endangered due to loss of habitat and hunting by humans.

*Roger Williams Park Zoo is a participant in the Species Survival Program, a cooperative effort by zoos to manage the population of rare and endangered animals. Read more.

Australasia | Conservation Corner | Madagascar |
Marco Polo Trail | North America | Plains of Africa | Tropical America