Bamboo lemur
Encyclopedia
The bamboo or gentle lemurs are the lemur
s in genus Hapalemur. They are medium sized primate
s that live exclusively on Madagascar
. The Greater Bamboo Lemur
, formerly known as Hapalemur simus, was considered part of this genus, but is now classified as belonging to the genus Prolemur.
The bamboo lemurs are characterized by a grey-brown fur, which varies by species. Their muzzle is short and their ears are round and hairy. Their length is 26 to 46 cm, with a tail that is just as long or longer, and they weigh
up to 2.5 kg.
Bamboo lemurs prefer damp forests where bamboo
grows. Although they can be active any time of the day, they are often active just after dawn. Though primarily arboreal, they sometimes come down to the ground. The Lac Alaotra Gentle Lemur
or Bandro (Hapalemur alaotrensis) which lives in the reed beds of Lac Alaotra spends much of its time in water and can swim well, unlike other lemur species which only venture to water to drink.
The lesser gentle lemurs live together in groups of three to five animals, which probably represent families composed of a male, one or two females and their offspring. They communicate with a variety of sounds.
They are called bamboo lemurs because they almost exclusively eat bamboo. It is unknown how bamboo lemurs can detoxify the high amounts of cyanide
(from bamboo shoots) in their diet.
Gestation lasts 135 to 150 days and ends between September and January, when the female bears one to two young. These are weaned after approximately four months (if the food supply is ample) and are fully mature at two years of age. Their life expectancy is up to twelve years.
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
s in genus Hapalemur. They are medium sized primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
s that live exclusively on Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. The Greater Bamboo Lemur
Greater Bamboo Lemur
The Greater Bamboo Lemur , also known as the Broad-nosed Bamboo Lemur and the Broad-nosed Gentle Lemur, is the largest bamboo lemur, at over five pounds or nearly 2.5 kilograms. It has greyish brown fur and white ear tufts, and has a head-body length of around one and a half feet, or forty to...
, formerly known as Hapalemur simus, was considered part of this genus, but is now classified as belonging to the genus Prolemur.
Description
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
up to 2.5 kg.
Bamboo lemurs prefer damp forests where bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
grows. Although they can be active any time of the day, they are often active just after dawn. Though primarily arboreal, they sometimes come down to the ground. The Lac Alaotra Gentle Lemur
Lac Alaotra Gentle Lemur
The Lac Alaotra bamboo lemur , also known as the Lac Alaotra gentle lemur, Alaotran bamboo lemur, Alaotran gentle lemur, or locally as the , is a bamboo lemur. It is endemic to the reed beds in and around Lac Alaotra, in northeast Madagascar. The Alaotran lemur is the only primate specifically...
or Bandro (Hapalemur alaotrensis) which lives in the reed beds of Lac Alaotra spends much of its time in water and can swim well, unlike other lemur species which only venture to water to drink.
The lesser gentle lemurs live together in groups of three to five animals, which probably represent families composed of a male, one or two females and their offspring. They communicate with a variety of sounds.
They are called bamboo lemurs because they almost exclusively eat bamboo. It is unknown how bamboo lemurs can detoxify the high amounts of cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
(from bamboo shoots) in their diet.
Gestation lasts 135 to 150 days and ends between September and January, when the female bears one to two young. These are weaned after approximately four months (if the food supply is ample) and are fully mature at two years of age. Their life expectancy is up to twelve years.
Classification
As of 2010, the classification of bamboo lemurs lists 5 species and 3 subspecies.- Genus Hapalemur
- Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur, Hapalemur griseus
- Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur, Hapalemur griseus griseus
- Gilbert's Bamboo Lemur, Hapalemur griseus gilberti
- Ranomafana Bamboo Lemur, Hapalemur griseus ranomafanensis
- Southern Lesser Bamboo LemurSouthern Lesser Bamboo LemurThe southern lesser bamboo lemur , also known as the southern bamboo lemur, rusty-gray bamboo lemur, and southern gentle lemur, is species of bamboo lemur endemic to southern Madagascar near Tôlanaro. It was originally proposed as a subspecies of the eastern lesser bamboo lemur and is of similar size...
, Hapalemur meridionalis - Western Lesser Bamboo LemurWestern Lesser Bamboo LemurThe Western Lesser Bamboo Lemur , also known as the Northern Bamboo Lemur and Western Gentle Lemur, is species of bamboo lemur endemic to Madagascar. The total length of this primate is 55–67 centimeters, more than half of which is tail, and average weight is just under 1 kilogram...
, Hapalemur occidentalis - Lac Alaotra Gentle LemurLac Alaotra Gentle LemurThe Lac Alaotra bamboo lemur , also known as the Lac Alaotra gentle lemur, Alaotran bamboo lemur, Alaotran gentle lemur, or locally as the , is a bamboo lemur. It is endemic to the reed beds in and around Lac Alaotra, in northeast Madagascar. The Alaotran lemur is the only primate specifically...
or Bandro, Hapalemur alaotrensis - Golden Bamboo LemurGolden Bamboo LemurThe Golden Bamboo Lemur or Golden Lemur is a medium sized bamboo lemur endemic to southeastern Madagascar. It is listed as an endangered species due to habitat loss. The population is declining with only about 1000 individuals...
, Hapalemur aureus
- Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur, Hapalemur griseus