Woolly lemur

Peyrieras - Woolly Lemur ( Avahi peyrierasi )

The Wollmakis ( Avahi ) are a primate species from the family of Indriartigen within the lemurs. They are small, nocturnal animals that live in family groups and feed mainly on leaves. We distinguish nine types.

Features

Wollmakis reach a body length 25-30 centimeters, the tail measures 30 to 37 centimeters and their weight is 0.6 to 1.6 kg. They are named after the dense, woolly fur. This is red-brown to gray-brown on top and colored on the bottom usually light gray. The tail is usually reddish than the trunk, and the inside of the thighs is whitish. The hind legs are substantially longer than the front legs. The head is rounded, the muzzle is short. The face is covered with short hair, which contrasts with the shape and sometimes by the staining with the rest of the coat and so provide a mask-like appearance. The eyes are large, round and often surrounded with dark rings around the eyes - what causes along with the face mask, owl -like appearance. The ears are small and partially hidden in the fur. With a body length of 30 to 45 cm and a weight of 600 to 1200 g Wollmakis are the smallest members of their family. Their fur is dense and woolly and mostly gray, the limbs are white and the long tail orange colored. They have a round head with a short muzzle, the ears are hidden in the fur.

Distribution and habitat

Like all lemurs come Wollmakis available only in Madagascar. They inhabit both the dry forests in the West and the rain forests in the east of the island and are often more likely to be found in secondary forests.

Lifestyle and diet

In contrast to the other Indriartigen the Wollmakis are nocturnal, but go as opposed to the other nocturnal lemurs jointly search for food. They usually spend their time on trees, where they move vertically climbing and jumping. During the day they sleep close huddled together in the branches or crotches, unlike other nocturnal lemurs they are not looking tree cavities and establish a no leaves nests.

They live in family groups that consist of a full-blown, monogamous pair and their common offspring, and may include up to five animals. There are territorial animals, the grounds include about 1 to 2 hectares and are marked by shouting over other groups.

Wollmakis feed primarily on leaves, to a small extent they also take fruit, buds and other plant material to itself. Like many other leaf-eating mammals they need a long rest periods to compensate for the low nutritional value of their food. The food competition with the sympatric lemurs frequently occurring they go by out of the way that they eat less common plant species whose locations they obviously remember and be defended.

Reproduction

Mating takes place in April or May, September or October, the female gives birth to usually 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, after a year or two, leaving his natal group.

Endangering

The main threat to the Wollmakis represents the destruction of the rainforests, territory as they are also hunted. Unlike many other primates, they can not hold good in human captivity. For many of the newly described species but no exact data are available.

System

The Wollmakis together with the sifaka, the Indri and some extinct groups, the family of Indriartigen. Significant differences in the lifestyle to other nocturnal lemurs suggest that they are secondary nocturnal, have thus evolved from diurnal ancestors.

The number of known species has increased explosively in recent years. Currently, nine species are distinguished ( according to Mitter Meier et al, 2008. )

• Western Woolly Lemur ( Avahi occidentalis)
• Northwestern Woolly Lemur or Sambirano Woolly Lemur ( Avahi unicolor)
• Cleese Woolly Lemur ( Avahi cleesei )
• Eastern Woolly Lemur ( Avahi laniger )
• Moore Woolly Lemur ( Avahi mooreorum )
• Betsileo Woolly Lemur ( Avahi betsileo )
• Peyrieras - Woolly Lemur ( Avahi peyrierasi )
• Ramanantsoavana - Woolly Lemur ( Avahi ramanantsoavani )
• Southern Woolly Lemur ( Avahi meridionalis )

The first three of these species live in the dry forests of the west coast, the other species in the rain forests of the east coast. In general, the animals of the East Coast are slightly larger and more reddish in color than the animals of the West Coast.