Favourite lemur species
- Thread starter Onychorhynchus coronatus
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Official according to whom? Wikipedia lists it as AEECL's Sportive Lemur. People should start calling it Association Européenne pour l'Etude et la Conservation des Lémuriens' Sportive Lemur more often.Except the common name is officially Antafia Sportive Lemur
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
The two ruffed lemur species are by far my favorite, with red ruffed lemurs slightly edging out black-and-white ruffed lemurs for the top spot. Their large size, activity level, and interesting behaviors makes for an engaging exhibit, and I grew up with both species easily viewable at local zoos which definitely endeared them to me.
Plus, if we're just talking aesthetics, I'm partial to mammals that are red, or black and white, so they get bonus points
I also prefer the red ruffed lemur, I've seen the black and white ruffed lemurs at several zoos but I've only ever seen the reds at Parc des Félins in France.
That is quite a mouthful !
Which still isn't the same as Association Européenne pour l'Etude et la Conservation des Lémuriens' Sportive Lemur
one can only assume that you call the well-known band who performed hits such as Mamma Mia, Waterloo and SOS "Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-Frid" rather than ABBA, and refer to "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation beams".But to answer your question - the IUCN, various papers on lemur taxonomy written by
Russell A Mittermeier (possibly the world's expert on lemurs) along with his book Lemurs of Madagascar (2010), and HMW volume 3 *all* give the common name for this species as Antafia Sportive Lemur.
I know right! I am really intrigued to see the growing diversity not just in mouse Lemurs but Lemurs in general, as Madagascar is being increasingly explored more often.That is brilliant to hear
Mouse lemurs are both fascinating and adorable aren't they ?
What I find most interesting about the Microcebus is just how many species of these we are continuing to discover due to new advances in DNA analysis.
Interesting, I didn't realize it was known as the Antafia sportive lemur. While on the subject of Sportive lemurs, Does anyone know of any Wrights sportive lemurs that are held in captivity? I have always wanted to see one, they seem a quite bit more interesting then some of the other species. And even if they are in captivity somewhere, I doubt I will be able to see them, as I simply do not have the time and money to go anywhere on my own.Which still isn't the same as Association Européenne pour l'Etude et la Conservation des Lémuriens' Sportive Lemur
But to answer your question - the IUCN, various papers on lemur taxonomy written by
Russell A Mittermeier (possibly the world's expert on lemurs) along with his book Lemurs of Madagascar (2010), and HMW volume 3 *all* give the common name for this species as Antafia Sportive Lemur.
I don't believe that species is kept anywhere.
Such a shame. Thanks for the information though.
It's those two for me as well, especially the red variety.
Slightly off topic, but why is it that ring-tailed so massively outnumber other species in zoos? I'm probably about to answer my own question, but I'm guessing they breed more easily (there are always babies around even in the most depressing exhibits) and/or are easier to look after?
They're also the easiest to get ahold of for non-AZA. The movie Madagascar has helped their popularity, too.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
No, don't worry , good question ! It is definitely on topic considering it is lemur related !
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
I seem to remember them being a popular zoo animal even prior to that movie but I agree that it must have definitely raised their popularity.
And "easiest to get hold off" being connected to breeding very easily I guess. The "Madagasgar" angle is something I hadn't considered, and that makes sense, but even before that it seemed that they were massively over-represented compared to other species
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
There are quite a number of sportive lemur species and I assume that the majority of these are not being managed ex-situ in zoos.
I don't know why this is, perhaps lack of space or interest (yes, they may be primates but they are still ultimately going to be seen as more "little brown jobs") ? perhaps there are steep difficulties in obtaining them or maintaining them in captivity?
However, I really think some of these species urgently require captive breeding programes due to the pressures on them in the wild.
For example, consider the Northern sportive lemur (subject of in-situ conservation work by several zoos but not ex-situ). There are very few individuals of this species left and it is one of the most critically endangered primates in the world.
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They were definitely popular before, but they really seemed to sky-rocket afterwards. Even roadside fruit stands with goats to pet have them now. I hear that movie get mentioned as often when I'm around lemurs as I hear Finding Nemo/Dory when I'm around those fish species.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Seriously ?!
"Roadside fruit stands" / petting zoos with ring tailed lemurs ? !
Please tell me you are joking about that...
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Yeah, I feel like all lemurs sometimes get overshadowed by monkeys and apes. However, they are becoming a little more popular with movies, (Madagascar as someone said), documentaries, and zoos actually play a part in popularizing an obscure animal like the Aye-Aye. Sportive lemurs diet might play a part here, but just speculating. Prove me wrong if you can, but maybe some of the native leaves and flowers is an inconvenience to the zookeepers, as the food they need is only exclusivly found in Madagascar.
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Please note that lemurs are primates, although they were placed in a separate order from monkeys and apes many years ago.
I've seen sportive lemurs in the wild and I saw a red-tailed sportive lemur in Paris in 1988.
Yes, I knew that. Just a little mistake. I fixed it now, No worries.
Is the Wright's sportive lemur named after Patricia Wright (Patricia Wright, Natural World Hero - Natural World Safaris) who discovered the golden bamboo lemur? I met her at a prosimian conference at Chester Zoo.