The crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus)
The crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus) is included in the IUCN Red List as a threatened species
Appearance
The crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus) is a species of strepsirrhine primates in the family Lemuridae.
This species of lemur has a dark marking on the top of its head, which gave it its name. The fur of the females is grey, the upper part is close to orange, the males are darker, the upper part is black and orange. The tail is long and is used for balance when jumping from branch to branch. Length 31 to 36 cm, weight about 2 kg.
The tail is 42 to 51 cm long. They share their habitat with a closely related species, the Sanford's lemur, but differ in colour.
Distribution
Eulemur coronatus is distributed exclusively in northern Madagascar, from the Mahavavi River and further north. In the east, the range is limited to the Manambatu River. Eulemur coronatus is found up to 1,400 m altitude.
Breeding and way of life
Eulemur coronatus is mainly active during the day, but sometimes feeds at night. It forms groups led by a female leader. Pregnancy lasts about 125 days. The young usually appear in late september or early october.
It lives for about 20 years, reaching sexual maturity at 20 months.
Its diet consists of flowers, fruits and leaves.
Conservation status
The population is estimated at 1000-10,000 individuals, most of which live on the Ankarana plateau; another population lives on the northern tip of the island.
