Feeding
A female red-bellied lemur feasting on berries in a natural habitat enclosure. Click image for larger version.
In the wild, these lemurs feed primarily on fruits, flowers and leaves in varying and seasonally changing proportions throughout the year. One study showed red-bellied lemurs utilizing 68 different plant species. Fruit appears to be the most important component of the diet, but one study reports that the lemurs also feed not only on leaves, but on certain invertebrates (millipedes). All forest strata, including the ground are utilized by the animals, but the upper canopy is the most frequently used. Red-bellied lemurs are active at night as well as during the day, although variations in activity levels appear to be seasonal and related to the availability of favorite food items.