1. Lemurs
By: Emily Pena

2. What do they look like?
The size of a lemur can vary from about pounds
The color of a lemurs fur can be shades of red, brown, black, or white
Lemurs have 4 long legs for running and leaping
They have a snout and a very good sense of smell
Lemurs have big eyes that allow them to have good night vision
They have long fingers and toes and opposable thumbs
And they have a long, fur-covered tail
Lemurs have a “toothcomb”, four-six teeth evenly spaced apart for grooming
toothcomb

3. About the species
Lemurs eat fruits, plants, insects and small vertebrates
They have 2 airborne predators and only one ground predator
Hawks and eagles will take babies
The fossa will take babies and adults who are not sleeping high enough in trees at night
They are a keystone species
They eat the fruit from trees on the island and then when they excrete them, they increase the chances of that tree species' survival
They can eat larger seeds, making them excellent seed dispersers

4. Where are Lemurs found?
Lemurs are only found in the wild on one island, Madagascar.
They are thought to have floated to the island on mats of vegetation and trees

5. Why are they endangered?
Hunting
Deforestation
Predation
They are endemic
A loss of their habitat creates physical limitations and makes it harder for them to breed

6. Predicted extinction
The total number of lemurs left in the wild is unknown but lemurs could be extinct by 2050 if hunting and deforestation are not stopped

7. Why save them?
Lemurs can only be found in Madagascar. If they go extinct, there will be none left in the world
Lemurs satisfy many of Madagascar’s ecological niches
They are the only species on the island that is able to eat the large fruits produced by the trees of Madagascar, making them the only species able to spread the trees’ seeds

8. What is being done about it?
The Duke learning center has a breeding and education program to study the species’ behavior and help conserve the biodiversity of Madagascar
Communities in Madagascar are also trying to education people and increase tourism

9. What else could be done?
Conservation reserves in the forests of Madagascar
Laws banning lemur hunting
Putting a stop to illegal logging

10. Are current efforts working?
Conservation efforts in Madagascar are difficult because of poverty and climate change
The Duke Learning Center has a successful breeding program and the Duke Lemur Center has the largest population of lemurs outside of Madagascar
Breeding programs can help increase the population, but if deforestation in Madagascar isn’t stopped, there won’t be anywhere for them to be released
With political problems in Madagascar, it’s hard to enforce logging and hunting laws

11. Works Cited
Baicker, K., Delaney, K., & Yates, S. (2010). Lemurs. Pleasantsville, NY: Gareth Stevens.
Lemurs named world's most endangered mammals. (2012, July 13). Retrieved January 28, 2014, from CBS News website: lemurs-named-worlds- most-endangered-mammels/
Lemurs of madagascar. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2014, from Wild Madagascar website:
Richards, L. (2012, August 29). Lemurs considered critically endangered. Retrieved January 29, 2014, from The Duke Chronicle website:             lemurs-considered-critically-endangered Roach, J. (2004, July 26). African trees may be tied to lemurs' fate. Retrieved January 29, 2014, from National Geographic website: /0721_040721_madagascar.html
Scardina, J., & Flocken, J. (2012). Wildlife heros. Philidelphia, PA: Running Press.