Golden bamboo lemur
| Golden bamboo lemur | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
| Family: | Lemuridae |
| Genus: | Hapalemur |
| Species: | H. aureus |
| Binomial name | |
| Hapalemur aureus Meier et al., 1987[3] | |
 | |
| Distribution of H. aureus[1] | |
The golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus, Malagasy bokombolomena) is a medium-sized bamboo lemur endemic to southeastern Madagascar. It was discovered in 1986 by Patricia Wright, in what is now Ranomafana National Park. The park was opened in 1991 to protect this endangered lemur, as well as several other lemur species and other flora and fauna.
It is listed as an endangered species due to habitat loss. The population is declining, with only about 1,000 individuals remaining. As its name indicates, this lemur feeds almost exclusively on grasses, especially the giant bamboo or volohosy (Cathariostachys madagascariensis).[4] The growing shoots of this bamboo contain 0.015% (1 part in 6667) of cyanide. Each adult lemur eats about 500 g (18 oz) of bamboo per day, which contain about 12 times the lethal dose of cyanide for most other animals of this size.[5]
The golden bamboo lemur is crepuscular. It is 28–45 cm long plus a tail of 24–40 cm, and weighs on average 1.6 kg.[5]
Females give birth to one infant per year and breed every year. The gestation period is about 138 days.[5]
References
- 1 2 Andriaholinirina, N.; et al. (2014). "Hapalemur aureus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 2014-06-16.
- ↑ "Checklist of CITES Species". CITES. UNEP-WCMC. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ↑ Groves, C.P. (2005). "Hapalemur aureus". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 116. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
- ↑ "187. Golden Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur aureus)". Edge of Existence. Zoological Society of London.
- 1 2 3 "Golden Bamboo Lemur". Animal Info.
External links
- "Images and movies of the golden bamboo lemur". ARKive.
- "Photos of Golden bamboo lemurs - photos for conservation, science, education and you". AnimalsandEarth.
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