White-collared lemur

Lemurs are the most endangered group of vertebrates on Earth.

Characteristics of the white-collared lemur

hat their fur is lighter in colour and their tummies whiter. Their name stems from their white beards. White- collared lemurs are tree-dwelling quadWhite-collared lemurs look a lot like collared brown lemurs. They differ in trupeds which get around by leaping. They often rest standing upright. The difference between the male and the female is very pronounced; this is known as sexual dimorphism. Males have grey-brown fur and females red-brown.

Lifestyle of the white-collared lemur

Unlike other lemurs, there is no hierarchy between the two sexes. These animals, like many other lemurs, vocalise and leave strong scent marks as a means of communication. Groups comprise males and females of 4 to 17 individuals. The activity of white-collared lemurs varies depending on the time of year and the outside temperatures. Because the white- collared lemur is a very shy animal which keeps to itself, these days we still know very little about its breeding habits.

Distribution of the white-collared lemur

White-collared lemurs live in tropical rainforests and on low-altitude plains. They are found exclusively in the south-east of the island of Madagascar, beside the Mananara River.

Conservation of the white-collared lemur

White-collared lemurs, like all other lemurs, are clearly affected significantly by the destruction of their natural habitat. There are currently two main threats: increasingly widespread illegal logging, the timber from which is sold in, among other places, France and Europe, causing the deforestation of the island of Madagascar; and hunting lemurs for food, which has also become a major threat.

• 
  Habitat

  Tropical and coastal forest
• Food

  Fruit, nectar, leaves and sometimes fungi

Did you know ?

White-collared lemurs play an important part in maintaining and regenerating ecosystems. As major fruit eaters, these lemurs help spread seeds. They also form prey for predators, thus helping to balance the food chain.