The lure of the Lemurs

I went to Madagascar with friends to see and photograph birds that can't be found elsewhere. While the birds were fantastic, lemurs almost stole the show.

Lemurs, which are primates, are the most celebrated biological treasure of the island. Thought to have evolved earlier than monkeys and apes, their ancestral species probably arrived on this island from mainland Africa millions of years ago by “rafts” of vegetation. From that beginning they evolved and radiated throughout Madagascar. The hundred-odd species of lemurs comprise 15 percent of all the primate species of the world.

Lemurs range in size from the large indri (twenty pounds) to tiny mouse lemurs (about one ounce), the smallest primates in the world. Most lemurs are social animals, calling and singing loudly. They are friendly to humans: their soft fur, bright round eyes and gentle hands without claws, make them cuddly animals. But, like any wild animal, they will fight back if cornered. Lemurs roam freely in the forests of Madagascar, but they do have a natural enemy: the carnivorous cat fossa about the size of a large dog, which hunts and eats them.

Many lemurs have gone extinct. Identified from fossils, we know some of them weighed over 400 lbs. Most likely, human activity contributed to the decimation of these lemurs. (Incidentally, the largest bird ever, the elephant bird, also inhabited Madagascar. It weighed over 1000 pounds and became extinct after human colonisation of the island.)

I saw my first ever wild lemurs in the Perinet region of Madagascar, about four hours driving from the capital Antananarivo. While hiking through Andasibe National Forest, our group spotted a pair of indris. They dangled from the branches of a tree, chewing on leaves. Sensing our presence, one of them paused to look at us with a frank stare. Then, tilting its head to access the leaves more easily, it resumed its chewing.

In another nearby forest, Mantidia National Forest, we saw a group of black and white ruffed lemurs. These are approximately the same size as indris, but they are augmented by a long, fluffy, black tail.

On another occasion, our group ran into a sportive lemur, this time down south in the arid spiny forest. It was small, brown and clung to the bare branch of a small tree. As we stopped on the trail for photos, it first ignored, then warily observed us. Finally, in a flash, it jumped across the trail into the branch of another tree and instantly disappeared. Based on modern genetics, there has recently been a spate of new species named in this family of lemurs.

The aye-aye is a particularly fascinating lemur. A nocturnal animal, it has some unusual physical features, such as teeth that never stop growing, large ears like a rabbit's and a tail suitable for a fox. But its claim to fame is its middle finger, which is very long and very thin. It has evolved to ease out grubs from under tree bark.

Finally, I want to mention Lemur Island, a special place near the Vakona Lodge in Perinet. There, many types of lemurs interact with people, eating from their hands, and jumping on their shoulders and heads. These lemurs have been habituated and are thus not risky at all. It is a good place to feel the cuddliness of a lemur and come close to one.

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