Lemurs are creatures found solely on the isolated island of Madagascar off the east coast of Africa, a place of astonishing biological wonders. They are little, furry primates resembling the ancient ancestors of monkeys, remarkably similar to long-extinct animals revealed in sixty million year old fossils. The lemurs of today have large eyes, wet, long snouts similar to a dog's nose, and somewhat resemble cats, squirrels, and mice.
There are around sixty different types of lemurs in Madagascar, from the pygmy mouse lemur, the tiniest of the lemurs and the world's smallest primate, to the Indri, the largest of the lemurs who are famous for singing like whales. Lemurs mainly live in the top tree canopy of rainforests and jungle. Sadly, deforestation in Madagascar has decimated lemurs' habitats, and combined with some hunting, has landed all lemurs squarely on the endangered species list. President Rajaonarimampianina, the new leader of Madagascar, has taken an interest in lemur conservation since gaining power. The President has been working with foreign conservation groups to improve conditions and prospects for the lemurs. In October 2014, Madagascar hosted the first "World Lemur Festival," which ended in "World Lemur Day" on October 31st. (When you dress up as a lemur for Halloween, you are celebrating two holidays at once.)
If you visit Madagascar, local guides and various companies from the burgeoning eco-tourism industry will be happy to take you out on a trek to see the captivating lemurs. Or if you're in the United States, you can visit the Duke University Lemur Center in North Carolina. For $95, you can watch lemurs fingerpaint on the "Painting with Lemurs" tour. You choose three colors for the lemurs to work with, and they let you keep the painting. That's a conversation starter!
There are around sixty different types of lemurs in Madagascar, from the pygmy mouse lemur, the tiniest of the lemurs and the world's smallest primate, to the Indri, the largest of the lemurs who are famous for singing like whales. Lemurs mainly live in the top tree canopy of rainforests and jungle. Sadly, deforestation in Madagascar has decimated lemurs' habitats, and combined with some hunting, has landed all lemurs squarely on the endangered species list. President Rajaonarimampianina, the new leader of Madagascar, has taken an interest in lemur conservation since gaining power. The President has been working with foreign conservation groups to improve conditions and prospects for the lemurs. In October 2014, Madagascar hosted the first "World Lemur Festival," which ended in "World Lemur Day" on October 31st. (When you dress up as a lemur for Halloween, you are celebrating two holidays at once.)
If you visit Madagascar, local guides and various companies from the burgeoning eco-tourism industry will be happy to take you out on a trek to see the captivating lemurs. Or if you're in the United States, you can visit the Duke University Lemur Center in North Carolina. For $95, you can watch lemurs fingerpaint on the "Painting with Lemurs" tour. You choose three colors for the lemurs to work with, and they let you keep the painting. That's a conversation starter!
