Question 2 of 21

What is special about Madagascar?

... It is one of the most geographically diverse countries, ranging from beautiful beaches and serene grasslands to raging rivers and dry deserts.

Question 3 of 21

When is the rainy season in Madagascar?

... The rainy season is from December to April.

Question 4 of 21

What inhabitant of Madagascar is unique to this tropical paradise?

... The lemur is the best known inhabitant, probably because it lives only in Madagascar.

Question 5 of 21

To what family of animals do lemurs belong?

... Lemurs, like monkeys and humans, are primates.

Question 6 of 21

How many species of lemurs are there?

... There are 88 species of lemurs.

Question 7 of 21

Why have the lemurs prospered in Madagascar?

... There are no other primates on the island.

Question 8 of 21

To which suborder of primates do the lemurs belong?

... They are prosimians.

Question 9 of 21

How do their grooming habits differ from other primates?

... Prosimians groom themselves and others using their teeth as combs, whereas anthropoids use their fingers.

Question 10 of 21

What are the eating habits of prosimians?

... They are insectivorous (insect eating) and herbivorous (plant eating) creatures.

Question 11 of 21

How would you describe prosimian society?

... It is female-dominated. Females get the best food and choose their own mates.

Question 12 of 21

How old is the first known prosimian fossil?

... It dates back 55 million years.

Question 13 of 21

Why did the prosimians die out everywhere except for Madagascar?

... The anthropoids were larger, more adaptive and intelligent and out-hunted the prosimians. Survival of the fittest led to the disappearance of the prosimians.

Question 14 of 21

How did the lemurs get to Madagascar?

... They probably crossed over from Africa on large bunches of floating vegetation.

Question 15 of 21

What happened to the lemurs when the first humans arrived 2,000 years ago?

... The large gorilla-sized lemurs were seen as threats and hunted by the settlers.

Question 16 of 21

According to fossil records, how big was the largest extinct lemur species?

... It is estimated to have weighed between 350 and 440 pounds (159 to 200 kilograms).

Question 17 of 21

How big is the largest surviving lemur?

... The Indi weighs 15 to 20 pounds (6.8 to 9 kilograms).

Question 18 of 21

How did the lemurs get their name?

... Sixteenth century Portuguese explorers, awakened in the middle of the night by the howls of the lemurs, saw their eyes flickering in the dark and became convinced they were the ghosts of their dead companions. They dubbed them lemurs, Latin for ghosts.

Question 19 of 21

What is the smallest lemur?

... The tiny pygmy mouse lemur weighs just 25 grams.

Question 20 of 21

How do many tribal communities in Madagascar regard the lemurs?

... They believe the nocturnal lemurs are omens of bad luck and should be killed.

Question 21 of 21

Where is the best part of Madagascar for lemurs to live?

... People in the western part of Madagascar regard the lemur as an ancestor. They consider hunting the lemur to be taboo.