SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Eulemur fulvus albifrons

The lemur is considered to be a prosimians or lower primate. The brown lemur is found only on the island of Madagascar and on the Comoros Islands, northwest of Madagascar.

The lemur, which means “ghost”, is not strictly territorial and lives in groups from 3-12 individuals, predominantly diurnal. It’s generally slender-bodied and long-limbed, with thick, woolly fur and long tails. It’s grayish to dark brown above, with white or orange whiskers. Its forward facing eyes and binocular vision are distinct characteristics. There are no clear male and female dominance hierarchies. The female will spend most of her life in the group into which she was born, whereas a male will transfer several times during his life from one group to another.

The brown lemur protects its territory by wagging its tail and grunting at predators from the ground. It gives a loud alarming bark when danger is near. A lemur also responds to disturbances with a long rattling cough and has the ability to leap 16 feet in distance to avoid danger. The brown lemur is also protective of its young. A baby lemur will cling to its mother’s belly for the first few weeks after birth, then begin to ride on her back. Because of habitat loss, a number of lemur species are endangered.