Crowned lemur facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Crowned lemur
Male
Female both in Ankarana Reserve
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
CITES Appendix I (CITES)
Scientific classification
Distribution of E. coronatus
Synonyms
Lemur coronatus J. E. Gray, 1842 Lemur chrysampyx Scheuermans, 1846

The crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus) is a fascinating type of lemur. It typically measures about 31 to 36 centimeters long. These lemurs weigh around 2 kilograms, which is about the same as a small house cat. Their tails are quite long, usually between 42 and 51 centimeters.

Discovering the Crowned Lemur

Crowned lemurs live only in the dry forests at the very north of Madagascar. They mostly enjoy a diet of flowers, fruits, and leaves. As of 2004, scientists estimated there were between 1,000 and 10,000 crowned lemurs. Most of them live in the Ankarana Special Reserve. You can also find them in Montagne d'Ambre National Park and the Andrafiamena forest.

What Do Crowned Lemurs Look Like?

These lemurs are easy to spot because of their special brown-orange crown. This colorful patch sits right on top of their heads. Female crowned lemurs have gray bodies with an orange crown. Males are a darker reddish-brown. Their crowns are a mix of black and orange.

Life Cycle and Reproduction

Crowned lemurs can live for about 20 years. They become adults and can have babies around 20 months old. Baby lemurs are usually born in late September or early October. This happens after the mother is pregnant for about 125 days.

Special Features of Lemurs

Crowned lemurs belong to the group of animals called Primates. This means they share traits like thumbs that can almost grasp things. They also have two eyes that look forward, which helps them see depth. These lemurs are very smart animals. Like other lemurs, they have long, thin arms and legs. They also have a slightly longer nose. A special 'grooming comb' made from their front teeth helps them keep clean.

Their long tail helps them balance when they jump between branches. It is not a grasping tail, but it is very useful for movement. They also use their tails to communicate with each other in their groups. These social groups are often led by a female lemur.

Daily Life of a Crowned Lemur

Crowned lemurs are mostly active during the day. This means they are diurnal. However, they also look for food at night sometimes.

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  Female crowned lemur

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  Another view of a female

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  Close-up of a female's head

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  A young male crowned lemur

Where Crowned Lemurs Live

Crowned lemurs live only in the northern part of Madagascar. Their home stretches from the very tip of the island. This area is called the Cap d'Ambre Peninsula. Their territory extends south to the east side of the Mahavavy River. It also reaches east, north of Sambava, along the Manambato River.

Their Forest Homes

You can find crowned lemurs in different types of forests. They live in the tropical dry forests of the Ankarana Reserve. They also live in the rainforests of Montagne d'Ambre, which are at middle elevations. They can be found from sea level up to about 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) high.

Crowned lemurs sometimes share their homes with another type of lemur. This is called the Sanford's brown lemur (Eulemur sanfordi). You can tell them apart by their colors. Sanford's brown lemurs are more gray and brown. They do not have the V-shaped crown on their forehead. Male Sanford's lemurs also have white fur around their ears and cheeks. Crowned lemurs do not have these white ruffs.

In the Ankarana Reserve, crowned lemurs are quite special. They are the only lemurs known to cross the very sharp tsingy rocks. These are eroded limestone rocks found in the park. They cross these rocks to reach the forest in the morning. Then, before sunset, they cross back. They sleep safely in the canyon forests within these rock fields for the night.

Predators

Several birds hunt crowned lemurs. These include Madagascar fish eagles and Frances's sparrowhawks. Madagascar kestrels and Madagascar banded kestrels are also predators. Other hunters are Madagascar scops owls and pied crows.