Ring-tailed lemur
Lemur catta
At the Detroit Zoo
Male Finnegan and female Molly were confiscated from an exotic animal dealer in Texas in 2010. Their offspring, males Fajiry (Malagasy for “planet”) and Dallas, were born here in July of that year. Male Warren was confiscated from a private owner in Warren, Michigan, in July 2014. Rounding out the troop is male Remy, who was rescued in 2015 by the California Fish and Wildlife Service. He arrived at the Detroit Zoo in 2016. They can be seen in the warm-weather months across from the rhino habitat. In the winter months, they can viewed inside the Hideaway, an indoor habitat located adjacent to the Japanese macaques.
Description
Ring-tailed lemurs can be easily distinguished by their long, black-and-white striped tails. The rest of their bodies are light gray to light brown in color with white undersides, and white hands and feet. They have white faces with black patches surrounding their eyes and black muzzles.
Fun Facts
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Lemurs have a “dental comb” which is a special set of teeth used to groom their hair.
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During mating season, male lemurs have “stink fights”. They determine which male is more powerful by covering their tails in smelly secretions and then waving them around.