Lemurs of Madagascar
Madagascar is world-famous for its lemurs—primates that look something like a cat crossed with a squirrel and a dog. These animals are unique to the island and display a range of interesting behaviors from singing like a whale (the indri) to sashaying across the sand like a ballet dancer (the sifaka). Below you will learn more about these fascinating creatures.
Lemur history
Madagascar lacks the dominant form of primate distributed worldwide, those of the suborder Haplorhini (monkeys, chimps, gorillas, and Homo sapiens). Instead, their niche has been filled by an older group of primates, the lemurs. Lemurs belong to the sub-order Strepsirhini together with bushbabies, lorises, and pottos which—like the original lemurs—are nocturnal, insectivorous primates characterized by a small body, a long nose, and large eyes. Lemurs have an interesting evolutionary history and the only reason they still exist today is because of Madagascar's isolation.
Until around 160 million years ago, Madagascar was attached to the African mainland as part of the super continent Gondwanaland (formed of Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica, India, and Madagascar). As Gondwanaland broke apart, Madgascar moved away from Africa. The first lemur-like primates on the fossil record appeared roughly 60 million years ago in mainland Africa and crossed over to Madagascar shortly thereafter.
The island continued to drift eastward and by the time monkeys appeared on the scene 17-23 million years ago, Madagascar was isolated from their arrival. As highly intelligent and adaptive primates, monkeys quickly drove the lemur lineage elsewhere in the world toward extinction (a few Strepsirhines—including bushbabies, lorises, and pottos—managed to hang on by retaining their nocturnal, solitary, and insectivorous traits).
Madagascar's lemurs—isolated from evolutionary changes of the world—radiated into the large island's many niches without much competition or predation. Today lemurs are found in virtually all of Madagascar's ecosystems and share some of the social and behavioral characteristics of monkeys (i.e., forming social groups, eating fruit and vegetation, and being active during the day).
Upper primates did not reach Madagascar until about they learned to navigate the high seas and arrived on boats roughly 2,000 years ago. Humans quickly went to work on the island's lemurs, reducing the number of species found in Madagascar by at least 15. The largest species suffered the most and today the largest remaining lemur is the Indri which would have been dwarfed by the gorilla-sized species once found on the island. Currently nearly all lemurs are endangered species, due mainly to habitat destruction (deforestation) and hunting.
Lemurs today
Today Madagascar is home to over 110 species of lemurs across five families and 14 genera ranging in size from the 25-gram pygmy mouse lemur to the indri. All these species are endemic to Madagascar (two lemur species were introduced to the Comoros) giving the country the highest number of primate species (Brazil, which has 77 species but only two endemic genera and no endemic families, is second). And new species are still being discovered— between 2000 and 2008, 39 new species were described.
Global importance of Madagascar's lemurs
According to Russell Mittermeier in The Eighth Continent, although Madagascar "is only one of 92 countries with wild primate populations, it is alone responsible for 21 percent (14 of 65) of all primate genera and 36 percent (five of 14) of all primate families, making it the single highest priority" for primate conservation. "Madagascar is so important for primates that primatologists divide the world into four major regions: the whole of South and Central America, all of southern and southeast Asia, mainland Africa, and Madagascar, which ranks as a full-fledged region all by itself."
Behavior
Non-scientists generally group lemurs by their primary time of activity: day or night. Nocturnal lemurs are typically smaller and more reclusive than their diurnal counterparts. Lemurs are vocal animals, making sounds that range from the grunts and swears of brown lemurs and sifaka to the chirps of mouse lemurs to the eerie, wailing call of the indri, which has been likened to a cross between a police siren and the song of a humpback whale.
Lemur photos
Lemur News
Indigenous Dayak community makes strides on Borneo toward forest autonomy
- In Mekar Raya, a semi-remote pocket of Ketapang district near the west coast of Indonesian Borneo, the local Dayak Simpan Indigenous society are navigating the complex bureaucracy of the state in a bid to gain semi-autonomous control of their customary forest.
- Under the national “social forestry” program, Indonesia’s central government has released more than 8 million hectares (20 million acres) from the national forest estate to management by local and Indigenous communities.
- The Dayak Simpan in Mekar Raya have previously resisted attempts by the palm oil industry to survey local land. Local sources say devolved management of the forest to the community will all but eliminate the risk of this land-use change.
- Several areas of the forestry are held sacred by the Dayak Simpan, with customary rules prohibiting the felling of trees or disturbance of water courses.
Decline of Cambodia’s native bees spells trouble for country’s farming future
- Cambodia’s native honey bees play a vital role in pollinating both crops and forests, providing services that are the “backbone of Cambodia’s rural economy” according to a recent study.
- The country is home to four native honey bee species, all of which the study says are at risk of population decline due to global factors like climate change and parasites, as well as more local threats of habitat loss and unsustainable wild honey harvesting.
- Experts call on both policymakers and farmers to protect Cambodia’s agriculture and ecosystems by safeguarding the country’s wild bee populations.
Seeds of 19 African tree species added to Svalbard Global Seed Vault
- Seeds from 19 species of African trees have been added to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway.
- The trees were selected by the World Agroforestry Center for their value to communities across Africa.
- Traditional seed preservation and institutional seed banks are vulnerable to damage.
- The seeds deposited in Svalbard in February add to a vast collection intended to secure the world’s vital genetic heritage against any eventuality.
First Niger Delta red colobus monkey videos reflect community conservation success
Camera traps installed in December 2024 in a community conservation area in the Niger Delta have captured the first videos of elusive and critically endangered red colobus monkeys. The news comes after years of community efforts to protect their habitat following degradation from oil extraction. So far, camera traps have recorded 15 videos that show […]
Male African elephants develop distinct personality traits as they age, study finds
- Male elephants have distinct characters, and certain individuals within the society are influential and can have a positive psychological impact on the group, according to new research.
- The study also showed that adult males are positively influenced by the presence of younger and socially well-connected males.
- Male elephant societies are dynamic and consist of dominant hierarchies and complex social networks, which contribute to the expression of consistent behaviors.
- Understanding elephant personalities is critical for improved wildlife management and conservation, researchers say.
Colombia’s cattle traceability bill awaits approval as deforestation spikes
- Lawmakers in Colombia are considering a bill that would create an improved traceability system for monitoring the movement of cattle, with the goal of controlling illegal deforestation connected to grazeland.
- This would be the fourth attempt at passing such a law, after previous efforts in 2021, 2022 and 2023 came up short.
- There are an estimated 30 million head of cattle in the country, requiring significant amounts of pasture, one of the main factors in the rise in deforestation last year.
- If passed, the law would integrate multiple monitoring systems to improve communication between officials and their ability to identify where cattle are being raised, and would establish “high-surveillance zones” in deforested areas, requiring ranchers to share cattle registration information and install identification devices like ear tags.
Study confirms that ant-eating aardvarks have a craving for buried melons
A new study has used camera-trap footage and scent analysis to confirm the unusual relationship between an African melon and the aardvark, an elusive ant-eating mammal found in sub-Saharan Africa. Cucumbers and similar melon-like plants generally display their fruits aboveground, but an African melon (Cucumis humifructus) buries its fruit about 20 centimeters (8 inches) underground, […]
In Nepal, a eucalyptus boom became an ecological cautionary tale
- Nepal’s Sagarnath Forest Development Project which ran a reforestation program from 1977-1984 and introduced eucalyptus as a fast-growing, low-maintenance solution for deforestation and fuelwood needs.
- While eucalyptus initially thrived, it depleted soil moisture and negatively impacted nearby crops, leading to reduced yields and financial losses for the farmers who had replaced traditional crops like rice and mustard with large-scale eucalyptus plantations.
- Discontent over eucalyptus’s effects, and the lack of guidance by those who promoted the planting scheme, led to widespread removal of trees, legal disputes among farmers, and complaints to local governments.
- Experts say such large-scale exotic tree plantations are no longer permitted under national and international biodiversity laws, with the project’s failure highlighting the importance of considering ecological sustainability, soil health and informed decision-making in reforestation efforts.
Yet another abandoned mine erodes — this time, in a Panamanian protected area
- After the Cobre Panamá copper mine shut down in 2023, the mine’s infrastructure was left to waste away by the company in a biodiverse jungle area on Panama’s Atlantic coast.
- A new report by Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) has found that the mine’s tailings dam is at a very serious and imminent risk of failure due to poor monitoring and internal erosion.
- Indigenous communities nearby have reported even more contamination in the water sources that run through their communities, leading to the disappearance of key species, the destruction of wetlands and health issues among residents.
- Experts said current mine closure regulations in Latin America are insufficient and the planning and development of responsible closure plans should focus on managing both social and environmental impacts.
Mangrove deforestation for commodities limits conservation funding in SE Asia
- Southeast Asia’s mangrove forests are still at risk of conversion for oil palm, rice and aquaculture, despite their immense potential for mitigating global biodiversity and climate goals.
- Commodity-driven deforestation and a range of climate change-related risks threaten the long-term survival of 85% of the region’s mangrove forests that could feasibly host carbon credit projects, a new study finds.
- The long-term risks undermine the integrity of blue carbon credits as a potential source of much-needed conservation funding, the study says, ultimately jeopardizing the capacity of mangroves to sequester carbon and provide ecosystem benefits.
- The authors recommend a diverse suite of conservation funding mechanisms rather than relying solely on blue carbon credits, and also urge greater investments in community-led mangrove initiatives.
Coffee companies are readier for the EUDR than they claim (commentary)
- Major coffee companies and industry groups attempted to weaken the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), delaying its implementation until 2025 despite its goal of curbing deforestation and human rights abuses.
- The EU’s coffee imports contribute significantly to deforestation, child labor, and slavery, with millions of workers trapped in extreme poverty and forests being cleared for plantations, especially in Brazil, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
- Despite industry complaints, compliance costs are minimal, and coffee supply chains are simpler than other regulated commodities; companies must take responsibility without shifting the burden onto vulnerable farmers and workers.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.
Indonesia signs agrarian reform commitment amid rising land equity woes
- The Indonesian government and civil society groups signed a joint statement on the first day of the Asia Land Forum marking a shared commitment to fast-track agrarian reform aimed at alleviating poverty and achieving food self-sufficiency.
- This comes amid increasing land ownership inequality, land-grabbing, and agrarian conflicts in Indonesia, where up to 68% of lands are controlled by 1% of the population.
- President Prabowo Subianto has prioritized food and energy self-sufficiency and aims to expand harvestable lands, but critics worry about an increase in corporate-led agricultural projects.
Endemic fish wiped out in Brazilian Amazon hydroelectric dam area, study finds
- The construction of the Balbina hydroelectric dam in the Brazilian Amazon led to the loss of seven endemic fish species in the Uatumã River, researchers have found.
- The hydroelectric dam has transformed the Uatumã River’s fast-flowing habitats into static environments, making them unsuitable for certain fish species.
- Researchers call for the investigation of unaffected tributaries, such as the Jatapu River, as possible refuges for the missing species and future conservation efforts.
- The study underscores the broader threat of hydropower dams and other environmental stressors, like industrial fishing and climate change, to Amazonian fish populations.
Baja California tourism poses mounting challenges for conservation, critics say
- Baja California Sur attracts more foreign tourism investment than any other state in Mexico, but the rapid development also poses threats to protected areas, marine habitats and the traditional customs of small communities.
- Numerous hotel projects underway this year could level sand dunes and encroach on protected areas, overwhelming many environmental activists who aren’t sure how to combat the rapid development.
- Some critics question the eco-tourism model that has been applied to coastal fishing villages, many of which regret trading in their customs for tourist businesses.
Deforestation and airstrip close to isolated teen’s Indigenous land in Brazil Amazon
On the evening of Feb. 12, a teenager from an isolated Indigenous group voluntarily made contact with people in a fishing village in the western Brazilian Amazon, according to Brazil’s Indigenous agency, Funai. He returned to his land on Feb. 15. The young man is likely part of an isolated Indigenous group in the Mamoriá […]
Aiding natural pollination can boost cacao yields & climate resilience
- Climate change and rising temperatures pose a major threat to cacao production across the globe, with those impacts already felt in major producers such as Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
- A new study highlights several low-cost, low-tech solutions that support natural pollination, building climate change resilience and increasing cacao yields up to 20%.
- Those methods include upping amounts of leaf litter to improve insect pollinator propagation, increasing the density of cacao tree plantings, utilizing taller native shade trees and limiting agrochemical use.
- Separate research underlines how these agroforestry methods used on farms can be supported by nearby natural forests, further aiding farm productivity.
Oil drilling in the mouth of the Amazon – Lula on a course to disaster (commentary)
- Brazil’s president Lula has greatly escalated his pressure for approval of oil drilling in the mouth of the Amazon River since the February 1st election of a senator from the state nearest the proposed oil field as the new president of the National Senate.
- As shown by the 2010 disaster in the Gulf of Mexico when oil spilled out of control for 5 months from a leak at 1.5-km depth, no one has the technology to control a leak at that depth, much less at the 2.88-km depth of the proposed oil field. The economics of opening the new oil field imply that extraction would continue for decades, long past the time when the world must abandon fossil fuels.
- The hypocrisy of Lula’s claims that the oil project will finance an energy transition sacrifices the opportunity offered by COP 30 for Brazil to assume a leadership role in fighting global warming. The disastrous consequences for Brazil if climate change passes a tipping point make Lula´s current course a formula for disaster.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily Mongabay.
Pause to USAID already having impacts on community conservation in the Amazon
- U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on foreign aid funding during his first day in office, affecting hundreds of sustainability, health and environmental programs worldwide.
- The funding pause will impact environmental projects in the Amazon Rainforest, including community-led conservation projects that halt deforestation, and may put the safety of environmental defenders who depend on security assistance from USAID in jeopardy, say sources.
- Indigenous leaders told Mongabay that programs in their territories were frozen immediately and they are yet to receive any information about what happened and if the projects will ever resume.
- Some conservationists and Indigenous leaders said USAID funding has also led to issues within communities and countries, like political interference, and that the funding pause highlights the dangers of dependency on foreign aid.
An Ecuadorian hotspot shows how forests can claw back from destruction
- The Ecuadorian Chocó Forest is a little-known biodiversity hotspot, under immense pressure from deforestation.
- A joint German-Ecuadorian team is studying how this tropical forest ecosystem rebounds after clearing.
- The project, called the Reassembly Research Unit, is based out of a lab in the Jocotoco Foundation’s Canandé Reserve.
- The findings so far indicate that tropical forests have a remarkable capacity to heal, given suitable conditions. The findings can inform vital regeneration strategies.
Conservationists suspect fishing nets, increased tourism for sea turtle deaths in Bangladesh
- More than 100 olive ridley turtles were found dead in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar Beach in the last few weeks.
- Conservationists blame the uncontrolled use of fishing nets and increased tourism during the turtle nesting period to have played a key role in the incident.
- The olive ridley’s main nesting grounds are the various islands in the southeastern district, Cox’s Bazar in the Bay of Bengal, and they come to the beaches to lay eggs before returning to the sea.
- Over the last three years, Bangladesh saw there was an increased number of olive ridley turtles and hatchlings thanks to different conservation programs.
An investment fund that pays out for nature? Mongabay podcast explains the TFFF
The Brazilian government in 2023 announced a novel funding mechanism to incentivize forest preservation: the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF). In an episode of Mongabay’s weekly podcast Newscast, host Mike DiGirolamo explored what experts think about the TFFF, what it can do, and what it can’t. Mongabay contributor Justin Catanoso, who has written previously […]
How birds deepen our awareness of nature: Interview with Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok
- Thailand is home to more than 1,100 species of birds and is a crucial stopover location on global bird migration routes.
- However, the country’s protected area system focuses on mountainous forests, which risks overlooking the conservation of many other habitats, such as wetlands, mudflats and open farmlands that are nonetheless important for birds.
- While bird conservation efforts are well underway in many of these habitats, threats from hunting, wildlife trade and rapid development abound.
- Mongabay recently spoke with Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok, a bird conservationist, photographer and author, about what he perceives as the most pressing bird conservation issues in Thailand.
USAID funding freeze throws international conservation into disarray
U.S President Donald Trump and his senior adviser, tech billionaire Elon Musk, recently imposed a 90-day freeze on nearly all USAID projects. USAID is known for funding health and humanitarian projects globally. And as Mongabay’s Ashoka Mukpo reports, the agency also provides significant support for conservation projects, which are now reeling with uncertainty after some […]
Lula pushes oil drilling at mouth of Amazon despite climate risks
- Despite his climate leadership stance ahead of COP30, Brazilian President Lula da Silva is pushing to approve oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon.
- Lula argues that oil revenues will fund Brazil’s energy transition. Critics say this is a flawed justification for expanding oil extraction under the guise of financing climate solutions.
- If projects get the green light, activists highlight the potential for significant environmental damage, including threats to biodiversity and Indigenous communities.
- Critics fear that approving this project will set a precedent for further oil exploration in the Amazon region, worsening environmental risks. In June, Brazil’s petroleum agency will auction more than 300 oil blocks across the country, including 47 at the mouth of the Amazon and 21 onshore in central Brazil.
Chanel wanted ‘responsible’ gold. It turned to a protected area in Madagascar
- In 2019, French fashion house Chanel sought to obtain responsibly sourced gold from artisanal miners in Madagascar — who happened to operate inside a protected area that’s home to critically endangered lemurs and other wildlife.
- Under the initiative, which eventually fell through, Chanel partnered with Fanamby, the local NGO managing Loky Manambato Protected Area in northern Madagascar, to formalize the operations of some 1,000 miners.
- Fanamby has acknowledged that its tolerance for mining in the reserve’s buffer zone “is contrary to conservation,” but added “there is an arrangement” allowing this as long as the core area is left protected.
- Conservation experts say Chanel’s approach — exploiting the fact that many supposedly protected areas aren’t very strictly protected at all — highlights weaknesses in the current conservation paradigm that will only grow more apparent as governments seek to designate more protected areas.
UN biodiversity decision 16/2 is ‘unencumbered by economic thinking’ (analysis)
- This analysis by Joseph Henry Vogel at the Department of Economics, University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras, was written in the wake of Decision 16/2 of the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which would govern corporate payment for use of genetic information that has been sequenced from the natural world (DSI).
- It explains how “bounded openness over natural information” is the most efficient and equitable way to ensure access to genetic resources and traditional knowledge, and for the sharing of resulting economic benefits of DSI with local and Indigenous communities.
- The author, who also served as advisor to the Ecuadorian delegation at CBD COP2 and COP9, argues that 16/2 is “unencumbered by economic thinking” but hopes that an ‘additional modality’ proposed to modify it will be vetted in preparation for COP17, which is scheduled for 2026 in Armenia.
- This article is an analysis. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
DRC government directive triggers panic in ape sanctuaries amid ongoing conflict
- In January, the Congolese national authority in charge of the country’s protected areas issued a controversial directive asking its partner primate sanctuary to send juvenile chimpanzees to the Kinshasa zoo for a breeding program.
- Critics say the five-year program planned at the Kinshasa and Kisangani zoos, lacks the necessary infrastructure and a concrete plan, raising suspicions about the true intent of the chimpanzee transfers.
- The ongoing conflict in the country adds further uncertainty to the future of sanctuaries and the already threatened apes in the country.
Study links African lion survival to prey availability
- A recent study finds that African lion populations are declining as their herbivore prey are as well, prompting a need to protect these prey species to reverse the trend.
- Preventing prey depletion can help improve lion reproduction and population growth in areas prone to poaching for bushmeat, a leading cause of the species’ decline, the study notes.
- “In areas with high protection, the annual probability of [lion] population growth was 89.3%, but in areas with low protection the probability of growth was only 30.2%,” the study reads.
- The study underscores the importance of conservation programs that consider surrounding communities as crucial allies in species protection, says an expert.
Conservation in wealthy nations may worsen global biodiversity loss, study finds
Efforts to rewild landscapes across Europe and North America could be making global biodiversity loss worse by shifting environmental destruction to poorer, more biodiverse regions, a new study warns. Scientists from the University of Cambridge, U.K., found that when farming and resource extraction move abroad to accommodate conservation in wealthy countries, it can result in […]
16 new-to-science grasshopper species found in US, Mexico deserts
What’s new: A recent study has identified 16 new-to-science species of grasshoppers living in the deserts of the U.S. and Mexico. One of the grasshoppers was named after the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, while others reference actors from shows like Star Trek. What the study says: The grasshopper genus Agroecotettix, known to live in very […]
Wisdom, the world’s oldest known bird at 74, has a new chick
Wisdom, the world’s oldest known wild bird, made headlines recently for laying an egg with a new partner, her first egg in four years. The egg has now hatched, and Wisdom, a Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis), or mōlī in Hawaiian, was spotted caring for her chick, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Pacific region […]
India’s Adani withdraws from controversial Sri Lanka wind power project
- A proposed wind power project by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani in the north of Sri Lanka, which ran into strong opposition from environmentalists due to multiple potential ecological impacts, particularly on migratory bird species, has come to halt.
- Five lawsuits were filed against the company by local environmental organizations due to the project’s alleged environmental consequences as well as the contract being awarded without competitive bidding.
- Amid growing controversy, Adani Green Energy Ltd. withdrew from the proposed project on Feb. 12 claiming “financial nonviability” weeks after the new Sri Lankan government sought to renegotiate the agreement and formed a committee to review and renegotiate the power purchase rate.
- Mannar, a district rich in wildlife and known for its picturesque quality, is currently experiencing a surge in nature-based tourism, particularly due to its rich birdlife.
Lemur species counts for selected parks
Protected Area | Species | |
Andringitra | 13 | |
Zahamena | 13 | |
Marojejy | 12 | |
Ranomafana | 12 | |
Andasibe Mantadia | 11 | |
Bemaraha | 11 | |
Marotandrano | 11 | |
Ankarana | 10 | |
Masoala | 10 | |
Kirindy Mitea | 8 | |
Montagne d'Ambre | 8 | |
Namoroka | 8 | |
Zombitse-Vohibasia | 8 | |
Isalo | 7 | |
Kasijy | 7 | |
Manombo | 7 | |
Pic d'Ivohibe | 7 | |
Bay de baly | 6 | |
Bemarivo | 6 | |
Bora | 6 | |
Nosy Mangabe | 6 | |
Tampoketsa-Analamaintso | 3 | |
Tsimanampetsotsa | 3 | |
Ambohijanahary | 2 |
Lemur species
Please note: a number of lemur species have been described since this list was published.
Family | Common name | Scientific name | Local name | Active | Pictures |
Cheirogaleidae | Mouse and Dwarf lemurs | Nocturnal | |||
Cheirogaleidae | Hairy-eared Dwarf Mouse-lemur | Allocebus trichotis | Nocturnal | ||
Cheirogaleidae | Southern Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur | Cheirogaleus adipicaudatus | Matavirambo | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Furry-eared Dwarf Lemur | Cheirogaleus crossleyi | Matavirambo | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Greater Dwarf Lemur | Cheirogaleus major | Matavirambo | Nocturnal | + |
Cheirogaleidae | Western Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur | Cheirogaleus medius | Matavirambo, Kely Be-ohy, Tsidy, Tsidihy | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Lesser Iron Gray Dwarf Lemur | Cheirogaleus minusculus | Matavirambo | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Greater Iron Gray Dwarf Lemur | Cheirogaleus ravus | Matavirambo | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Sibree's Dwarf Lemur | Cheirogaleus sibreei | Matavirambo | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Gray Mouse-lemur | Microcebus murinus | Tsidy, Koitsiky, Titilivaha, Vakiandri, Pondiky | Nocturnal | + |
Cheirogaleidae | Pygmy Mouse-lemur | Microcebus myoxinus | Tsidy | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Golden Mouse-lemur | Microcebus ravelobensis | Tsidy | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Red Mouse-lemur | Microcebus rufus | Anakatsidina, Tsidy, Tsitsidy, Tistsihy | Nocturnal | + |
Cheirogaleidae | Giant Mouse-lemur or Coquerel's Mouse-lemur | Mirza coquereli | Tsiba, Tilitilivaha, Siba, Setohy, Fitily | Nocturnal | + |
Cheirogaleidae | Amber Mountain Fork-crowned Lemur | Phaner electromontis | Tanta, Tantaraolana | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Masoala Fork-crowned Lemur | Phaner furcifer | Tanta, Tantaraolana | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Western Fork-crowned Lemur | Phaner pallescens | Tanta, Tantaraolana, Vakivoho | Nocturnal | |
Cheirogaleidae | Sambirano Fork-crowned Lemur | Phaner parienti | Tanta, Tantaraolana | Nocturnal | |
Daubentoniidae | Aye-aye | Nocturnal | |||
Daubentoniidae | Aye-aye | Daubentonia madagascariensis | Aye-aye, Ahay, Itay-hay, Aiay | Nocturnal | |
Indridae | Woolly lemurs and allies | Diurnal | |||
Indridae | Eastern Avahi | Avahi laniger | Avahina, Avahy, Ampongy, Fotsifaka | Nocturnal | + |
Indridae | Western Avahi | Avahi occidentalis | Fotsife, Tsarafangitra | Nocturnal | |
Indridae | Indri lemur | Indri indri indri | Babakoto, Amboanala | Diurnal | + |
Indridae | Indri lemur | Indri indri variegatus | Babakoto, Amboanala | Diurnal | + |
Indridae | Coquerel's Sifaka | Propithecus coquereli | Ankomba malandy, Sifaka, Tsibahaka | Diurnal | |
Indridae | Crowned Sifaka | Propithecus deckenii coronatus | Tsibahaka, Sifaka | Diurnal | |
Indridae | Decken's Sifaka | Propithecus deckenii dekenii | Tsibahaka, Sifaka | Diurnal | + |
Indridae | Silky Sifaka | Propithecus diadema candidus | Simpona, Simpony | Diurnal | |
Indridae | Diademed Sifaka | Propithecus diadema diadema | Simpona, Simpony | Diurnal | + |
Indridae | Milne-Edwards's Sifaka | Propithecus edwardsi | Simpona, Simpony | Diurnal | + |
Indridae | Perrier's Sifaka | Propithecus perrieri | Radjako, Ankomba Job | Diurnal | |
Indridae | Tattersall's Sifaka | Propithecus tattersalli | Ankomba malandy, Simpona | Diurnal | |
Indridae | Verreaux's Sifaka | Propithecus verreauxi | Sifaka | Diurnal | + |
Lemuridae | True lemurs | Diurnal | |||
Lemuridae | White-fronted Lemur | Eulemur albifrons | Varika | Diurnal | |
Lemuridae | White-collared Lemur | Eulemur albocollaris | Varika | Diurnal | |
Lemuridae | Red-collared Lemur | Eulemur collaris | Varika | Diurnal | + |
Lemuridae | Crowned Lemur | Eulemur coronatus | Varika | Diurnal | |
Lemuridae | Brown Lemur | Eulemur fulvus | Varikamavo, Komba | Diurnal | + |
Lemuridae | Black Lemur | Eulemur macaco | Ankomba, Komba | Diurnal | + |
Lemuridae | Blue-eyed Black Lemur | Eulemur macaco flavifrons | Ankomba, Komba | Diurnal | + |
Lemuridae | Mongoose Lemur | Eulemur mongoz | Komba | Diurnal | |
Lemuridae | Red-bellied Lemur | Eulemur rubriventer | Varikamena | Diurnal | |
Lemuridae | Red-fronted Lemur | Eulemur rufus | Varika, Varikamavo | Diurnal | + |
Lemuridae | Sanford's Lemur | Eulemur sanfordi | Ankomba, Beharavoaka | Diurnal | |
Lemuridae | Alaotran Gentle Lemur | Hapalemur alaotrensis | Bandro | Diurnal | |
Lemuridae | Golden Gentle Lemur | Hapalemur aureus | Varibolomena, Bokombolomena | Diurnal | |
Lemuridae | Gray Gentle Lemur | Hapalemur griseus | Varibolomadinika | Diurnal | + |
Lemuridae | Sambriano Gentle Lemur | Hapalemur occidentalis | Bekola, Kofi, Ankomba valiha | Diurnal | |
Lemuridae | Ring-tailed Lemur | Lemur catta | Maki, Hira | Diurnal | + |
Lemuridae | Broad-nosed Gentle Lemur | Prolemur simus | Varibolomavo, Vari, Varikandra | Diurnal | |
Lemuridae | Red Ruffed Lemur | Varecia rubra | Varimena | Diurnal | + |
Lemuridae | Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur | Varecia variegata | Varijatsy | Diurnal | + |
Megaladapidae | Sportive lemurs | Nocturnal | |||
Megaladapidae | Back-striped Sportive Lemur | Lepilemur dorsalis | Apongy | Nocturnal | |
Megaladapidae | Milne-Edwards's Sportive Lemur | Lepilemur edwardsi | Boenga, Boengy, Repahaka | Nocturnal | + |
Megaladapidae | White-footed Sportive Lemur | Lepilemur leucopus | Songiky | Nocturnal | + |
Megaladapidae | Small-toothed Sportive Lemur | Lepilemur microdon | Trangalavaka, Kotrika or Kotreka, Fitiliky, Itataka, Varikosy | Nocturnal | |
Megaladapidae | Mitsinjo Sportive Lemur | Lepilemur mitsinjonensis | Kotrika, Varikosy | Nocturnal | |
Megaladapidae | Weasel Lemur | Lepilemur mustelinus | Trangalavaka, Kotrika, Fitiliky, Itataka, Varikosy | Nocturnal | |
Megaladapidae | Red-tailed Sportive Lemur | Lepilemur ruficaudatus | Boenga, Boengy | Nocturnal | |
Megaladapidae | Ankarana Sportive Lemur | Lepilemur septentrionalis ankaranensis | Mahiabeala, Songiky | Nocturnal | |
Megaladapidae | Seal's Sportive Lemur | Lepilemur seali | Songiky | Nocturnal | |
Megaladapidae | Northern Sportive Lemur | Lepilemur septentrionalis septentrionalis | Mahiabeala, Songiky | Nocturnal |