The Mighty Lemur

The mighty lemur. A true beauty of nature. These amazing creatures are traditionally found in Madagascar, but with the wonder of a zoo, they can be found across all continents. Luckily for me, I have been able to see and interact with these amazing animals. They can jump, climb, swing, and play with their friends. Truly amazing and beautiful.

There are many different species of lemurs, but my favorite, the ringtail. These lemurs have a beautiful black and white coat. Soft fur that moves with the wind. Their fur is so light that their bodies are almost nonexistent. At least 2 inches thick making them seem bigger and heavier than they truly are. They get their name from their tail. It looks like multicolor rings stretching down just as long as their bodies. In the photo I captured it features a red ruffed lemur. These look like their fur has been fluffed out and has red and black coloring. The paws are what give the lemurs amazing abilities. Small but mighty is an understatement. Their paws are soft as velvet, but grip onto anything in their path. They work like claws gripping around anything and everything.

Lemurs may look small but they create a ton of noise. To communicate they make a sound reminding me of a small gorilla but at the noise volume of a lion. Their communication can be hear throughout the forest and can vocalize many different ideas.

The most amazing part about these creatures is their ability to jump. They search for the highest ground and jump to get there. Trust me, I know. Being in a cage with them, they climbed all over me. Stretching out my hand as far as it would go, the lemur jumped from the bench in order to get to that new highest point. It was mind blowing how light the lemur was but also their magical ability.

With the picture, it was an amazing chance. Being in a zoo these lemurs were very friendly with humans. They loved interacting, jumping, and playing. Most importantly, they loved their food. The enclosure at this zoo was amazing. They created a natural habitat in which the lemur thrived. Huge trees with vines hung above small patches on bushes. A wooden walkway snaked through the exhibit, which was made for humans to walk upon. The lemurs had a full range of this exhibit. They owned it. Running around, jumping across trees, swinging on vines, and having adventures. The lemurs thrived in that environment.

After watching the lemurs run around and play it was finally time for their 3rd feeding of the day. You could see the excitement on their faces. They knew that silver bucket by heart. It contained all their favorite fruits and vegetables. All the ringtails started moving towards the keeper with the food, racing down the path. The keeper threw some food into the trees to imitate foraging. Others came up to her and grabbed their choices out of the bucket. Then they scattered around onto the deck and trees scrambling to eat their food before another member would come and steal the best pieces for themselves.

Sometimes a fight would break out. These were incredibly loud and shook the trees. It would start with one lemur approaching another. From there, they would make a move, reaching for the prize food. Then the vocalization gets louder until one gets the food and runs away. That is where my shot comes in. A lemur escaped the battle with its prize possession and jumped onto the rail to celebrate the prize. Slowly it cracked down on the celery. Eating small pieces at the time till the very end. Then, it put the little stub in its mouth and finished the final taste of victory.

It was amazing getting to see that encounter, but being able to capture it in a photo was even better. I captured the winning lemur with its trophy. Something that I may never be able to see again, and most people will never get to experience. That zoo gave me irreplaceable memories that expanded my knowledge and love for lemurs. I got to learn so much from the exhibit and how the lemurs function in the wild. They are an amazing species that needs our help. In Madagascar their habitat is being reduced and they need our help to prevent further habitat damage.

Let this picture resonate with you like it has me. See the beauty of the ringtail lemur. Learn about their worth, and understand their abilities. They are beautiful to see in zoos, but even better in the wild.