Red ruffed lemur

Red ruffed lemurs are found only in a small area in the northeast of the island of Madagascar.

They are covered in long, woolly fur that keeps them warm in their wet and sometimes chilly rainforest habitat. They also have six teeth close together, which form a toothcomb used for grooming each other’s fur.

Male red ruffed lemurs have scent glands that they use to mark their territories, as many other lemur species do. However, this species also uses these scent glands to mark females when competing to mate. They are arboreal, meaning they spend most of their time in the trees.

This remarkable lemur is at an extremely high risk of becoming extinct in the wild due to significant habitat loss on Madagascar. We’re working in the field to help save red ruffed lemurs in collaboration with local project partners.