Red-fronted brown lemur

DESCRIPTION

Colouration differs between the sexes: males have greyish brown upper parts, paler creamy brown lower parts and a reddish crown; females have reddish brown upper parts and a grey crown. Both have a grey to white muzzle and face and a dark line crossing their face from the forehead to the crown.

ETHOLOGY

They may be active both during the day and at night, as they adapt to the food available. They live in groups of 4 to 18 members. Unlike other species, these lemurs do not have a clear dominant individual. They have a peaceful nature, and among members of the group, aggression and fights for superiority are few. They have one litter, rarely two, born after 4 months of gestation.

POINTS OF INTEREST

The populations of this species are on the decline in nature. They are mainly arboreal animals, therefore their main threats are deforestation and the segmentation of territory. In Madagascar, logging is being carried out in forests for agriculture and construction of towns. It is also one of the species of lemur which is most hunted for feeding local populations and captured for sale as pets.