Gray-headed lemur facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gray-headed lemur |
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The gray-headed lemur (Eulemur cinereiceps) is a medium-sized primate that lives in the forests of southeastern Madagascar. It is a type of lemur that belongs to the family Lemuridae. This lemur is active both day and night, which is called being cathemeral.
For a while, this lemur was known as the white-collared brown lemur. But in 2008, scientists changed its name back to gray-headed lemur. This change happened after new studies helped them understand more about this animal.
The gray-headed lemur is very rare. In 2005, experts estimated that only about 700 square kilometers (270 square miles) of its home remained. This lemur is in great danger because people hunt it and its forest home is disappearing. It is listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has also been named one of the "25 Most Endangered Primates" in the world.
Where Gray-Headed Lemurs Live
The gray-headed lemur can only be found in a specific part of southeastern Madagascar. Its home stretches from the Manampatrana River in the north down to the Mananara River in the south. This small area makes it even more vulnerable to habitat loss.
Why Its Name Changed
Scientists are always learning new things about animals. Sometimes, they find out that an animal's name needs to be updated. This happened with the gray-headed lemur.
New studies looked closely at the lemur's DNA and its physical features. These studies showed that the name Eulemur albocollaris was actually an older name for Eulemur cinereiceps. So, the name gray-headed lemur and the scientific name Eulemur cinereiceps were brought back.
Before 2001, this lemur was thought to be a type of subspecies of the common brown lemur. But then, it was given its own species status. However, some studies still suggest it might be a subspecies. This shows how scientists keep studying and updating what we know about different animals.
