The Most Endangered Mammal of Them All

Every family has one. The black sheep that the rest of the clan hasn’t quite figured out. Outliers exist in the animal kingdom too and among primates, there is no contest of who earns the title: lemurs.  These endearing creatures are known to digress from the established practices of their kind. A perfect example is the fat-tailed dwarf lemur who bucks trends by gorging on fruit, insects and flowers, storing fat in their ballooning tails so that, when food is scarce, they can sink into a hibernation that no other primate enjoys. And when this little creature hibernates, it does it proper job of it; recent research has shown that they are the only known animals to fall fully asleep during their hiatus. Continuing the pattern of offbeat lifestyles, the ring-tailed lemurs relish in a pastime that – much to Baz Lurhamnn’s disapproval – we humans also indulge in: sunbathing. These charismatic fellows resemble goofed yogis, warming up in the morning light.

In their leaders too, lemurs defy the norm by flipping the standard on its head and adopting a matriarchal structure in their tight-knit families. They’ve also got some habits that are just plain weird – the ring-tailed males partake in ‘stink fights’, using their tails as a conduit to disperse scent at their opponents. Having mastered the art of intense looking without really seeing, lemurs are also not afraid of having a little starring match whenever the mood strikes. The sifaka lemurs maintain the quirky habits of their counterparts with their graceful – and very odd – dancing. With their array of eccentricities it is no surprise that their Latin inspired name translates to ‘haunters’, giving them the reputation of ‘the spirits of the night’. In short, lemurs let their freak flag fly and for that we love them.

A map showing the whereabouts of lemurs on the globe is a waste of space; five empty continents and then – all lit up in red – an island floating in the Indian Ocean. It’s not a waste of time though because the depiction demonstrates the scarcity of habitat – the absolute dependency on this small piece of land.

Of the 103 species that live in Madagascar, a staggering ninety one percent are considered threatened, earning lemurs the eerie title of the world’s most endangered mammal. The tropical forests that they call home continue to be encroached upon by illegal logging and hunting. Their cuteness is also partly responsible for their downfall as some are snatched from their natural habitats to become reluctant participants in the pet industry. With the odds stacked overwhelmingly against them, you may think that hope for their survival is dwindling, but you’d be wrong.

To halt the looming extinction of lemurs, a task team of some of the world’s leading experts was assembled to put together a three year action plan to turn the crisis around. According to this panel, the best chance for lemurs’ survival rests in a combination of ecotourism and conservation efforts. Similar strategies have been used with great success in Rwanda and Uganda in the promotion and protection of their mountain gorillas. Visitors to the island have the ability to create the economic incentive necessary for local communities to get behind the protection of lemurs. The injection of funds from increased tourism will also help to maintain, manage and increase the number of the protected areas in Madagascar.

The strategy appeals to us because Madagascar is one of our favourite destinations not least because we’re constantly in awe of the abundance of wildlife that calls it home. And so, we’re throwing our efforts behind the drive to encourage more travelers to visit Madagascar, not only because we adore the 4th largest island in the world, but also because it will help our precious lemurs.

Explore Madagascar in our video…

If a beach holiday with an abundance of wildlife sounds like your ideal adventure then contact one of our travel consultants to start planning your trip to Madagascar. In choosing Madagascar as your next destination you will help kick-start the movement towards ecotourism. And if the stars from the animation film Madagascar are not enough to convince you that it’s worth a trip, these photographs should:

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