Class: Mammal
Family: True Lemurs

Size: 50-55 cm
Weight: 3-4.5 kg

Found: Madagascar

Diet: Herbivore (Plant Eater)
Gestation: 90-102 days

Conservation Status: CR

Habitat: This species is very patchily distributed in lowland to mid-altitude rain forests. Black and White Ruffed Lemurs maintain large home ranges consisting of primary forest with tall trees. They are almost exclusively fruit eaters, and as they are very selective feeders, this makes them especially susceptible to disturbance.

Threats: The principal threat to its survival is habitat loss due to slash-and-burn agriculture, logging and mining. They are large and active through the day so among the most heavily hunted of all lemur species. In Makira they are one of the more expensive and desired meats. This is one of the first lemurs to disappear where humans encroach upon rain forest habitats.

Information: This species is named after the thick black and white coat it possesses, especially the thick tufts on its ears. Three subspecies of variegata are recognised, each occupying a different range: Varecia variegata subcincta is the most northerly subspecies, occurring from the Antainambalana River south to the Anova River. They are very arboreal and daytime active, they often like to hang upside down by their feet to feed.
There are only two very distinctive sub-species of Black and White ruffed lemur; this and the variegata sub species.

Social Behaviour: They live in variable multi male-multi female single pairs and communities and they are very territorial. The extremely loud barking call is to ward off other lemurs. They have a group size of 5-16 and up to 32.

Food: The diet consists of fruit, seeds, leaves and nectar. They can pass seeds in 2-3 hours.

Breeding: They reach maturity at 20 months and have a gestation period of 90 to 102 days. They give birth every 12 months in spring to twins. Ruffed Lemurs are the largest lemur to have three pairs of nipples and multiple infants. Young are parked in nests for the first week and rather than clinging are carried in the mothers mouth.

Projects: ANTONGIL
Map: Red = Locations Found 793