Bamboo lemurs are members of the ‘true lemur’ family, all of which are active during the day. As their name suggests, bamboo lemurs eat bamboo and are usually found in stands of it. Three of the six Malagasy species are covered here.
DISTRIBUTION: Common in rainforest in the central and northern parts of the east, dry forest in the northwest, and forest fragments on the High Plateau. Introduced to Mayotte.
ID: A medium-sized brownish lemur with a blackish face. Male and female look similar. In the east, occurs with Red-bellied Lemur, which is darker red-brown overall, with a black tail, and white marks in front of the eyes of males. In Ankarafantsika NP, occurs alongside Mongoose Lemur (page 50), which is greyer overall, and has different male and female facial patterns, both of which are different from Brown Lemur.
VOICE: Fairly vocal. Most distinctive call is a mechanical rasping wail that is often given in concert by a whole group at the same time. Also gives a pig-like grunt which is often imitated by local guides.
BEHAVIOUR: Found in small to medium-sized groups which feed on fruits, leaves and flowers, often remaining in one small area; capable of rapid movement through the forest.
WHERE TO SEE: Common around Andasibe and Ranomfana. Less common but still easy to see in Ankarafantsika NP.
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