Black-and-white ruffed lemur Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Black-and-white ruffed lemur

Conservation status
Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Family:	Lemuridae
Genus:	Varecia
Species:	V. variegata
Binomial name
*Varecia variegata* (Kerr, 1792)
Subspecies
V. v. variegata (Kerr, 1792) V. v. editorum (Osman Hill, 1953) V. v. subcincta (A. Smith, 1833)

Varecia variegatta distribution orange = V. v. subcincta; green = V. v. variegata; blue = V. v. editorum
Synonyms
V. v. variegata: vari Muirhead, 1819 varius I. Geoffroy, 1851

The black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata) is a special animal. It lives only on the eastern coasts of Madagascar. These lemurs are one of the biggest lemurs in the world. They can be about 4 feet (1.2 meters) long, including their tail. They usually weigh around 10 pounds (4.5 kg). In zoos, they can live for up to 18 years. They are called "ruffed" lemurs because of the thick fur around their heads.

Meet the Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur
Where Do Ruffed Lemurs Live?
What Do Ruffed Lemurs Eat?
- How Ruffed Lemurs Find Food
How Ruffed Lemurs Behave
- Female Lemurs Are in Charge
- Talking with Calls
Images for kids
See also

Meet the Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur

A black-and-white ruffed lemur eating fruit

The black-and-white ruffed lemur is one of the largest lemurs alive today. It is similar in size to the red ruffed lemur. These lemurs can be about 3 to 4 feet (100 to 120 cm) long. They weigh between 7 and 9 pounds (3.1 to 4.1 kg).

Their fur is always a mix of black and white. The patterns usually stay the same. Their tummy, tail, hands, feet, and face are black. White fur covers their sides, back, and hind legs. Male and female lemurs look very much alike.

Where Do Ruffed Lemurs Live?

These lemurs live in the rainforests on the eastern side of Madagascar. They prefer forests with tall, old trees. They like to stay deep inside large areas of trees. However, they can also live in smaller, separated forest patches if they need to.

There are three types (subspecies) of black-and-white ruffed lemurs. Each type lives in a slightly different area.

The white-belted black-and-white ruffed lemur lives in the northern parts.
The southern black-and-white ruffed lemur lives in the south.
The main black-and-white ruffed lemur lives in the middle.

What Do Ruffed Lemurs Eat?

Wild black-and-white ruffed lemurs mostly eat fruit. About 92% of their diet is fruit! They also eat small amounts of leaves, nectar, seeds, and even mushrooms. What they eat can change with the seasons. Some fruits and plants are only available at certain times of the year. How much water they drink also changes throughout the year.

They get food from many different types of trees. This can be from 19 to 40 different tree species. Four main types of fruit trees provide most of their food. These include Ravensara species, Chrysophyllum boivinianum, Protorhus species, and Harungana madagascariensis.

How Ruffed Lemurs Find Food

Studies show that these lemurs spend most of their feeding time eating fruit. This takes up about 80% of their eating time. The rest of the time, they eat nectar and other foods.

Interestingly, male lemurs often eat less than females during Madagascar's hot, dry seasons. Also, when a female lemur is pregnant or feeding her babies, she eats much more. She will eat more flowers and leaves to get enough energy. This helps her support her offspring.

Studies of lemurs in zoos and in the wild show how they spend their day. On average, ruffed lemurs spend about:

28% of their time eating
53% of their time resting
19% of their time playing and moving around

How Ruffed Lemurs Behave

Female Lemurs Are in Charge

Black-and-white ruffed lemurs show a special behavior. The females are usually in charge of the group. This is true for other ruffed lemurs and ring-tailed lemurs too. If a male and female have a small disagreement, the female usually wins. This happens even if she doesn't act very aggressive.

One big reason females are in charge is to get food first. Female lemurs need more food. This is because carrying and raising babies takes a lot of energy. So, they make sure they get priority when eating. They do this by showing some aggressive behavior. They also lead the group to food sources. This way, they get to eat first. Younger female lemurs might not be in charge yet. If a group doesn't have an older female, there might not be a clear leader. When a strong female is present, she leads the group to food. She also eats more than the rest of the group.

Talking with Calls

Black-and-white ruffed lemurs make several different types of calls. Each call lasts for a few seconds. Most lemurs in a group will join in a chorus of calls. These lemurs are famous for their loud roars and shrieks. These loud calls have several uses:

Helping the group move together.
Keeping space between different groups.
Warning others about predators.

Unlike some other animals, their calls probably aren't used to mark their territory. They make calls throughout the day. However, you usually won't hear them calling at night.