Animal Behavior: Ring-tailed lemurs live in groups of 15 to 20 individuals called troops to deter predators that hunt singular prey. Females stay with the same troop they were born into, while the males will typically move between troops every 2 to 5 years. These troops are highly social with complex interactions.

Eating Habits: Ring tailed lemurs are opportunistic omnivores. They will eat whatever is easily available to them including fruits, leaves, stems, flowers, exudates (resin, latex, sap), spiders, spider webs, chameleons, caterpillars, insects, small birds, and termite mounds. The Tamarind tree is their most important fruit source.

Range: Ring-tailed lemurs are found only in southern and southwestern Madagascar. They prefer gallery forests, forests near and following river banks, but can be found in dry scrub, montane forests, and deciduous forests. They have a daily home range of 1000 meters from home. They tolerate a temperature range of -12 to 48 Celsius.

Conservation Efforts: Ring-tailed lemurs are classified as Near Threatened (NT).

Animal Facts: The first toe on the lower appendage is opposable, used while climbing trees in the mid and upper level canopy. Care of the young lies solely with the mother. Ring-tailed lemurs typically live to be 16 years old with the oldest living to be 33 years old in captivity. They are known to use scent markings, and even to engage in &ldquobattles&rdquo with one another.