Threats

Through this page, we will describe to you the threats that are threatening the living of these lemurs. After reading this page, you will realize the predators for these lemurs, why they are threatened.


Natural Predators:

One of the most common and threatening predators to these lemurs include the fossa. A fossa is a large nocturnal reddish-brown catlike mammal

(Cryptoprocta ferox) of the civet family, found in the rain forests of Madagascar. The fossa find these lemurs as their appetite. Some other predators also include mongooses, boa constrictors, and birds of prey, specifically the eagle and the raptor. These are not very common and hazardous predators for the black-and-white lemurs, but they still see these lemurs as food.


The Human Impact:
Now one of the predators not described are us, humans. Humans are also one of the predators causing these animals to be critically endangered. Now humans are not the only reason why the population of these lemurs are declining 80% in the last 27 years, but humans play a prominent role. Now all the other predators such as the fossa threaten these lemurs because its their daily nutrient. Yet, what humans are doing is optional.

Humans are cutting down the trees of these lemurs, causing:

1. The homes of these animals are being destroyed
2. Their main food source(fruits) is disappearing
3. Many falling accidents occur. In fact, 65% of new-born infants die due to falling incidents.

These trees are being cut down, with selective logging, because humans need the Madagascar wood for timber and agriculture. Yet there are other options (see Conservation Efforts tab).

Other reasons also include hunting for their meat, as food, and their skin, which is lush and soft. Hunting is illegal, yet people do it, harming these innocent animals, and making them the most heavily hunted Madagascar lemur.

There is another reason. This is not known, but these lemurs are also commercially exported to the USA, which is the largest importer of primates such as the black-and-white ruffed lemurs During this, many lemurs die from their journey of being exported and imported.

Here are a few facts about these lemurs' status:

• Listed as endangered by the USDI(United Stated Department of the Interior) in 1980
• On the ICUN(International Union for the Conservation of Nature) red list
• On Appendix of CITES(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

As you can see, these are the reasons why the Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur is critically endangered. To help them out, please view our Conservation Efforts tab. Surely, you will find something to contribute!