Ring-tailed lemur
Scientific name
Lemur catta
Size and weight
39 to 46 cm body, plus 56 to 63 cm tail
Average weight of 2.2 kg
Diet
Fruit, plants, bark, sap, small invertebrates and even small birds and chameleons if food is scarce
Conservation status
Endangered
Native habitat
Forests and scrubland on the island of Madagascar
Lifespan
20 years
Meet our ring-tailed lemurs
We’ve got five ring-tailed lemurs: Patrick, Magda and Pen arrived in February 2025 to join Rambony and Sadika who have been at Tilgate since 2017. They love to leap around their enclosure, using the cables and pillars, and climbing the big tree in the middle. Magda is very sweet and is the matriarch of the group while Patrick loves lounging in his hammock. They all have a bit of a sweet tooth, and their favourite food is sweet potato.
About ring-tailed lemurs
Ring-tailed lemurs are primates and they’re pretty easy to recognise with their stripy tails. They’re very social and live in groups called troops, led by a female. At night they huddle together and wrap their fluffy tails around themselves to stay warm. In the morning, they spread their arms and legs to soak up the sun and warm up quickly.
Male lemurs have scent glands on their wrists and shoulders to make their tails smelly. When competing for females, they flick their tails at each other in “stink fights”.
Ring-tailed lemurs are at risk from habitat destruction, local hunting for bushmeat, and the exotic pet trade.
Did you know?
- they almost always have 13 white rings on their tails. Pen is an exception though – he has fewer rings as an injury when he was young cost him the tip of his tail
- their long tails are used for balance, not for grabbing things
- parents need their arms and legs free for climbing, so it’s up to the little ones to hang on tight
- special front teeth, known as a tooth comb, are used for grooming. If this gets clogged with hair, they have a small second tongue under their main tongue to clean it out!
- they have different sounds to call the group together or to warn about predators
