Brown Lemur

Brown Lemur
Eulemur fulvus

Isolated from other primates for over 88 million years, the lemurs of Madagascar have evolved into a vast array of species exploiting almost every primate niche. Brown Lemurs feed mainly on fruit, young leaves and flowers and are one of the few primates that willingly share food with other individuals. Extremely agile, they can leap up to eight metres between trees and may hang by their feet when feeding.

Males and females live together in groups of around 3 to 12 animals. Unlike many other lemur species the females are not always dominant. Brown Lemurs are active by day in the wet season becoming more nocturnal during the dry. They scent mark to deter predators and may scream and wave their tails or band together to mob their attacker. Considered widespread and relatively common at present, the main threats to this species are habitat loss and hunting.

Distribution: Madagascar; introduced Mayotte Island, Comoro Island
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Evolutionary distinctiveness: Low