Mongoose Lemur - Eulemur mongoz
Habitat:
Tropical dry forest, deciduous forest and secondary forest
Range:
Madagascar and Comoros Island (found between Madagascar and Africa)
Activity Cycle:
active both day and night, depending on the season it can be either diurnal or nocturnal.
Features:
Soft grey-brown fur with a pale grey muzzle and black nose. Males have pale faces with reddish brown cheeks and may have a bald patch on top of head. Females have dark faces with whitish cheeks.
Size:
up to 14” in length, up to 4 lbs. Has a tail that can reach 19 inches.
Social Structure:
Live in small groups consisting of an adult pair and up to 3
Life Expectancy:
18-20 years and in captivity up to 26 years
Diet:
fruits in both wet and dry seasons. In wet season also known to feed on flowers particularly from the Kapok tree.
Reproduction:
Sexual maturity attained at 2 ½ to 3 ½ years. Female gestation period of 128 days. Young are born around October to November. The young are weaned at 5 months and usually stay with the parents until fully mature.
Status:
Endangered according to the USFWS and listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List – due to habitat loss from logging, agriculture and hunting. Considered a pest due to alleged raids on crops. They are in Appendix I of CITES and are part of an AZA Species Survival Plan.
Interesting Facts:
- Current wild population estimated to be between 1,000 to 10,000.
- Mongoose lemurs love nectar – in some areas 80% of their dry season diet is the rich nectar of the Kapok tree, whose flowers open in the evening.
- Have a good sense of smell and use scent marking to signal to other neighboring groups.
- Males use top of head when scent marking – may end up bald as a result.
- They have a series of 6 teeth that stick straight out from their lower jaw. They use this as a comb when grooming each other.
- They are important pollinators, taking pollen from flower to flower as they eat.
AZA cooperatively manages this species as a Species Survival Plan® Program.
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