Favourite lemur species

My favorite lemur species is probably the ring-tailed lemur. As previously stated here, they are one of the most adaptable species with the more arid and open environments they can survive in, and I think they are gorgeous as well. They’ve also unfortunately been neglected by conservation efforts for a long time; reportedly their wild population crashed by 95% between 2000 and 2017, leaving less than 2,500 remaining on Madagascar.

The aye-aye is another one I love, they are incredibly unique among primates with the woodpecker-like niche they have evolved to fill.

I really like sifakas too. I think my favorite species is the Coquerel’s sifaka, with the beautiful diademed sifaka in second place.
 
evilmonkey239 said:
My favorite lemur species is probably the ring-tailed lemur. As previously stated here, they are one of the most adaptable species with the more arid and open environments they can survive in, and I think they are gorgeous as well. They’ve also unfortunately been neglected by conservation efforts for a long time; reportedly their wild population crashed by 95% between 2000 and 2017, leaving less than 2,500 remaining on Madagascar.

The aye-aye is another one I love, they are incredibly unique among primates with the woodpecker-like niche they have evolved to fill.

I really like sifakas too. I think my favorite species is the Coquerel’s sifaka, with the beautiful diademed sifaka in second place.
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Thank you for the comment @evilmonkey239 !

I think we zoochatters often take the ring tailed lemur for granted due to its ubiquity in zoos but I agree with you that it is a remarkably resilient animal and a beautiful one too.

Similarly I think it often comes as a shock when we stop for a moment and contemplate the gravity of its plight in the wild which does not match how common it is within zoos.

I know for example that when I discovered how badly the species is faring in the wild it made my draw drop as I was so used to thinking of the ring tailed and ruffed lemurs as being in better straits than other species.

I do believe that the species needs to be more effectively conserved in-situ, however, I am also of the opinion that due to the overabundance of this species in zoos that it should be phased out in some collections and some of the more endangered and neglected species should occupy this space.
 
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Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Thank you for the comment @evilmonkey239 !

I think we zoochatters often take the ring tailed lemur for granted due to its ubiquity in zoos but I agree with you that it is a remarkably resilient animal and a beautiful one too.

Similarly I think it often comes as a shock when we stop for a moment and contemplate the gravity of its plight in the wild which does not match how common it is within zoos.

I know for example that when I discovered how badly the species is faring in the wild it made my draw drop as I was so used to thinking of the ring tailed and ruffed lemurs as being in better straits than other species.

I do believe that the species needs to be more effectively conserved in-situ, however, I am also of the opinion that due to the overabundance of this species in zoos that it should be phased out in some collections and some of the more endangered and neglected species should occupy this space.
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The main issue with Ring-tailed lemurs in zoos is that there are more lemurs than there are spots for them. I know of one AZA zoo that ended up stuck with 2 pairs of Ring-tailed lemurs that they wanted to surplus for a few years, but no one would take them.
 
Neil chace said:
The main issue with Ring-tailed lemurs in zoos is that there are more lemurs than there are spots for them. I know of one AZA zoo that ended up stuck with 2 pairs of Ring-tailed lemurs that they wanted to surplus for a few years, but no one would take them.
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Yes, it is evidently a problem in zoos across Europe and North America.

I do hope in the future more can be done for other lemur species ex-situ as with the ongoing massive intensification of habitat and biodiversity loss in Madagascar many will have nowhere else to go.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Yes, it is evidently a problem in zoos across Europe and North America.

I do hope in the future more can be done for other lemur species ex-situ as with the ongoing massive intensification of habitat and biodiversity loss in Madagascar many will have nowhere else to go.
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I think the top priority for the AZA is making sure the populations of all the Lemur species they currently manage are sustainable. Currently only the Ring-tailed is, but if they could add both Ruffed lemurs, mongoose, crowned, collared, blue-eyed black, coauerel's sifaka, aye-aye, and grey mouse lemur to the that list they'd be in pretty good shape. Only when all 10 of these currently managed species have stable captive populations would I want imports of another species- and then I'd want some of the species most genetically distinct from the ones currently in captivity, like golden bamboo lemurs or a sportive lemur species.
 
Neil chace said:
I think the top priority for the AZA is making sure the populations of all the Lemur species they currently manage are sustainable. Currently only the Ring-tailed is, but if they could add both Ruffed lemurs, mongoose, crowned, collared, blue-eyed black, coauerel's sifaka, aye-aye, and grey mouse lemur to the that list they'd be in pretty good shape. Only when all 10 of these currently managed species have stable captive populations would I want imports of another species- and then I'd want some of the species most genetically distinct from the ones currently in captivity, like golden bamboo lemurs or a sportive lemur species.
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Absolutely agree with this statement and very well said !
 
Neil chace said:
I think the top priority for the AZA is making sure the populations of all the Lemur species they currently manage are sustainable. Currently only the Ring-tailed is, but if they could add both Ruffed lemurs, mongoose, crowned, collared, blue-eyed black, coauerel's sifaka, aye-aye, and grey mouse lemur to the that list they'd be in pretty good shape. Only when all 10 of these currently managed species have stable captive populations would I want imports of another species- and then I'd want some of the species most genetically distinct from the ones currently in captivity, like golden bamboo lemurs or a sportive lemur species.
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The AZA has great populations going of both ruffed lemurs. I imagine the sifaka and Eulemur populations are sustainable as well.
 
Favorite that I have seen: Aye Aye
Favorite that I have not seen: I’m stuck between White footed sportive lemurs and Indri

I love aye aye because they are so unique and awesome looking, I like sportive lemurs because they look so chill and can be so agile at the same time, and I like indri because the are so loud.
 
Honestly, I like Aye-Ayes and Ring tails. I've seen both of those species, so I think it counts. The ringtails got onto my shoulder.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
What are your favourite lemur species and why ?

Curious to hear your replies.
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My personal favorite is the red ruffed lemur. I took care of a pair in the early 90's, along with a small troop of ring tailed and a few brown lemurs. But the red ruffed became my favorites . Besides being very attractive animals I found their behavior to be similar to domesticated cats. ( At least this pair was) They liked to be petted and rubbed their bodies on my ankles when I was working in their exhibit. But sometimes could be standoffish just like cats. Their fur was amazingly soft.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
What are your favourite lemur species and why ?

Curious to hear your replies.
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That’s a hard one but my favourite is the ring tail because I had the fortunate experience to nurse one back to health when I lived at Riverdale Zoo.
I travelled to Madagascar in 2015 and spent 2 weeks touring the island where we were extremely fortunate to see dozens of lemur species both in captivity and in the wild, it was the most spectacular trip I have ever experienced and highly recommended to any field naturalist as myself I love them all and hope they endure for eternity although I fear all Lemur species shall continue to decline as the result of unstoppable human activities.
 
Crowned Sifaka for me. Was the first exotic species I ever worked with at the very start of my zoo-keeping career. Although I've gone on to specialise in hoofstock and carnivores, I will always have a soft spot for lemurs and the memories of working with them when I started many moons ago.
 
For me I have seen the Ring tailed lemur and red ruffed lemur. I have to say that my favorite is the red ruffed lemur. Detroit Zoo got these pretty recently and they have a lot of personality. They are very active! I have not seen these lemurs my last couple of trips there because they were off habitat and the Ring tailed lemurs were out. They rotate the species in Detroit but it seems like they favor the ring-tailed over the red ruffed. Also I think also because they are new to the zoo and they may still be getting used to their habitat.
 
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