Eastern woolly lemur

Eastern Woolly Lemur, picture of Alfred Grandidier

The Eastern Woolly Lemur ( Avahi laniger ) is a primate of the group of lemurs. The Peyrieras - Woolly Lemur, the Southern Woolly Lemur, the Ramanantsoavana - Woolly Lemur, the Woolly Lemur Betsileo and the Moore Woolly Lemur has recently been separated as a distinct species of this type.

Features

Eastern Wollmakis reach a body length 25-29 centimeters, the tail is 32 to 37 inches long and its weight is 0.9 to 1.6 kg. Their fur is dense and woolly, as with all Wollmakis, it is colored light gray on top and gray-brown on the bottom. The hind legs are longer than the front legs, the inner thighs are whitish, the long, bushy tail is reddish brown in color. The face is covered with short, brown hair and contrasted so with the more densely hairy top of the head. There are small, white spots on the big, round eyes. The muzzle is black and short, the ears are small and partially hidden in the fur.

Distribution and habitat

Eastern Wollmakis come like all lemurs in Madagascar before, their habitat, the rainforests of the east coast. Due to the removal of some populations as a separate species, the precise distribution is not known. It extends at least from the region south of the Masoala peninsula to the river Mangoro whether it also south of the Mangoro are populations of this species is unclear. They come down to 1,600 meters above sea level before and reach their highest population density in secondary forests.

Way of life

These primates are nocturnal and arboreal. During the day they sleep in the dense foliage concealed, often leaning against a tree trunk. At night, they go looking for food, while they move vertically continuous climbing and jumping. They live in family groups of two to five animals, which are composed of a monogamous pair and the common offspring. Unlike many other nocturnal lemurs, the group members stay together even during foraging. Family groups inhabit an area 1-2 hectares, which they mark with loud cries towards other groups.

The food of these animals consists mainly of leaves, on a small scale they also eat fruits and flowers. Like other leaf-eating mammals to compensate for the low nutritional value of their food with long rest periods. The night raids are relatively short with 300 to 500 meters.

Mating takes place in April or May, September or October brings the female a single young is born. This is supported by the mother during their forays and not stored in a protected location. After about six months, the boy is weaned.

Endangering

Due to its relatively large area of ​​distribution Eastern Wollmakis are less threatened than other lemur species. Area, they are pulled through the destruction of their habitat affected, but overall one of the kind IUCN not an endangered species.