Black and white ruffed lemur

Conservation Status: Endangered

The Black and White Ruffed Lemur is patchily distributed through eastern Madagascar.

Along with the Red Ruff they are the largest living lemurs - the Red Ruffs and Black & Whites are closely related. These large lemurs are poached for their meat.

Ruffed lemurs use a loud and raucous chorus to defend territory and deter intruders. Their call can be heard over long distances. Herbivores - they are dependent on threatened rainforests for food. They eat fruit, shoots, leaves and seeds. Useful too! Their rapid digestive transit is important for seed dispersal.

Black & White Ruffs carry their young around in their mouths until they are able to move about independently (3-4 weeks) Ruffed lemurs develop more quickly than other lemurs and are weaned at  about 3 and a half months