Our red-fronted lemur Mango shares an exhibit with our all-male troop of ring-tailed lemurs in Lemur Wood.
Like all lemurs, this species is native to Madagascar. They are found in the central western and southeastern dry forests of the island.
They have a varied diet, eating fruits, leaves, flowers and insects.
Interesting facts!
- Unlike many other lemur species, red-fronted lemurs do not live in a strictly female-dominated group! Males and females also have different colour markings with their fur, making it easy to tell apart genders.
- Communication is important to red-fronted lemurs and they have a wide range of vocalisations.
- Females usually have one infant each year that is born after a gestation period of approximately 120 days.
Conservation
Loss of habitat is the key threat posed to Madagascan species in the wild today. Much of the forest is destroyed for logging and agriculture. The total population of red-fronted lemurs is not known, but the number is thought to be decreasing, leading to a Vulnerable status on the IUCN Red List.
Today there are conservation initiatives being carried out in Madagascar and our red-fronted lemurs are great ambassadors for their species. Paignton Zoo is one of just six UK zoos that currently houses this species.