Details
Varecia variegata
The black-and-white ruffed lemur is a large Madagascan lemur with a shaggy contrasting coat. By day it feeds in the canopy and gives loud carrying calls.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It is confined to Madagascar's forests. Humid rainforest canopy and large fruiting trees are especially important, and fragmented forest is a serious problem.
Length 43-57 cm; weight 3.1-4.1 kg. Long black-and-white fur forms bold patches, with a full ruff around the neck. A long tail aids balance in trees.
Diurnal and social, it moves through the canopy in small groups. Loud calls maintain contact and signal territory or alarm.
A herbivore, it feeds mainly on fruit, with nectar, flowers, and young leaves also taken. Visits to flowers can make it an important pollinator.
Unusually for lemurs, females build nests and may bear multiple young. Infants begin life in the nest before traveling with the mother.
It is listed as Critically Endangered. Deforestation, hunting, and fragmentation in Madagascar are severe threats.
