Field guide · rare
Ring-tailed Lemur
Madagascar's striped ambassador — a social lemur that sunbathes at dawn and carries its tail like a question mark.
Endangered
Overview
The ring-tailed lemur is Madagascar's most recognisable primate: grey-bodied with a long tail banded in black and white, used like a flag when troops march across spiny forest. Unlike most lemurs, ring-tails spend much time on the ground, foraging for fruit, leaves, and bark.
Each morning, ring-tailed lemurs sunbathe in the yoga pose that makes them famous — sitting upright with arms spread wide, absorbing warmth before the day's foraging. Troops are matriarchal, with females leading group decisions.
Habitat
Dry deciduous and gallery forest in southern and southwestern Madagascar holds ring-tailed lemurs. They need forest with access to open ground and are found in Isalo, Berenty, and Anja Community Reserve.
Countries found
Interesting facts
- 01
Ring-tailed lemurs sunbathe each morning with arms spread wide.
- 02
Their striped tail is used for visual signals — raised like a flag when walking.
- 03
Madagascar has over 100 lemur species found nowhere else on Earth.
Conservation status
Ring-tailed lemurs are Endangered, with populations falling from habitat loss, hunting, and the pet trade. Protected reserves in Madagascar are critical to their survival.
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