Habitat/Conservation
The collared lemur is found in lowland and mid altitude primary and secondary rainforest in a small range in the southeastern tip of Madagascar. This lemur ranges from the Mananara river south to the area north of Tolagnaro. The western limits of its range have yet to be firmly established, and on the north it borders populations of Eulemur fulvus albocollaris with which it might interbreed.
It occurs in only one protected area.
There are six subspecies of brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus) distributed around the perimeter of Madagascar, and one subspecies is found on the Comoros Islands (E.f.mayottensis). The seven subspecies, with the exception of the common brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus fulvus), generally are quite distinct due to the difference in color of the male's head and cheek ruffs. The red-fronted lemur (Eulemur fulvus rufus) is one of the very few species of lemur which has populations on both the east and the west coast of Madagascar (lemurs are not found in the interior of Madagascar). No one knows the exact numbers (or even the precise range) of any of the brown lemurs in the wild. In fact, no one knows the precise remaining numbers of any lemur species. Extensive surveys are needed in order to determine the current ranges for just about all the lemur species.
Brown lemurs live in multi-male, multi-female groups of up to 29 animals, and are active both day and night, mostly at dawn and dusk. Unlike many species of lemur which are female dominant, there does not appear to be a clear dominance hierarchy within groups. Home range size varies from 2.5 to 50 acres. Groups of brown lemurs are very cohesive, and stay closely together as they move through the forest feeding on leaves and fruit. The animals are usually found high in the canopy and they rarely descend to the ground. There may be a significant overlap (up to 20%) of the ranges of neighboring groups, which occasionally leads to hostile (but not violent) territorial encounters. Home range boundaries are probably maintained by vocalizations. In the wild, brown lemurs are generalist feeders, and thus very adaptable.
They eat leaves, fruit, flowers, bark, sap, invertebrates, fungi and even fruits from plantations. They get water by licking leaves and lapping water from tree holes. In captivity brown lemurs have been seen capturing and eating birds and bird eggs. Red-fronted lemurs, like all diurnal prosimian species, are seasonal breeders. Due to their generalist feeding patterns and their social system consisting of multiple adult males and females, groups of brown lemurs are easily maintained in captivity and thrive on just a basic diet of monkey chow and fruit.