Habitat/Conservation
Ringtailed lemurs are found in south and southwestern Madagascar, from Fort-Dauphin west and as far north as Morandava on the west coast. A small additional population lives near the mountains of Andringitra on the southeastern plateau.
The gallery forests that ringtailed lemurs prefer are rapidly being converted to farmland, overgrazed by livestock, and harvested for charcoal production. Ringtailed lemurs are also hunted for food in certain areas of their range and are frequently kept as pets. Fortunately, ringtails are found in several protected areas in southern Madagascar, but the level of protection varies widely in these areas, offering only some populations refuge from hunting and habitat loss.
Ringtailed lemurs breed very well in captivity, and over 1000 can be found at approximately 140 zoos around the world. The Duke Lemur Center currently houses 39 animals.