The ruffed lemurs are a kind of lemurs originating in the tropical forest of the island of Madagascar. There are two species of ruffed lemurs and they are classified in the genus Varecia.
Their size reaches 60 cm, plus a long tail of about the same length, and their weight varies from 6 to 10 kg. They are frugivorous, although they also eat some leaves. The ruffed lemurs generally live in small groups of 2 to 4 individuals. Their lifespan is about 15 years in nature and up to 20 years in captivity. Gestation lasts from 135 to 145 days, and the female birth from 2 to 3 young, which differentiates them from the other lemurs. The ruffed leurs have a quite recognizable, powerful cry and which can to a howling which is propagated through the group to announce danger.
Both species are threatened in their natural habitat because of deforestation and hunting. They are indeed traditionellement appreciated for their flesh.
The two species formerly were considered subspecies of one single species. More modern classifications split them into the two species as shown here, with one of the species now being split into three subspecies.
It may be possible to use Varecia as an indicator to assess the degree of habitat disruption in a given area.
Varecia are the only diurnal primates in the world to keep their infants in a nest.
Hence, eight wild born, unrelated fl and white ruffs, Varecia variegata variegata were imported into the United States in 1996 from a confiscated population in Madagascar which had been held at Zoo Ivoloina.
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