Are ring-tailed lemurs illegal?

Are ring-tailed lemurs illegal?

It’s been illegal to keep lemurs as pets in Madagascar since 1962. But ring-tailed lemurs, such as this one at a rehabilitation center in southern Madagascar, continue to be trapped for the pet trade. Nearly a third of the 107 species of lemurs—all found only in Madagascar—are critically endangered.

Do people hunt ring-tailed lemurs?

Population fragmentation is a major threat to these lemurs, mostly due to human-induced habitat loss and degradation. In some regions, ring-tailed lemurs are hunted with dogs for food. They are also found in the pet trade. Lemurs are also hunted as food items, and have an increasing presence in the illegal pet trade.

Is it illegal to hunt lemurs?

While it has been illegal to kill or keep lemurs as pets since 1964, lemurs are hunted where they are not protected by local taboos (known as fady).

Do people kill lemurs?

Yes, people eat lemurs, and the reasons they do aren’t exactly what we might expect. The study, published in Biological Conservation, found that “almost all children in lemur-hunting households were malnourished.” Wild-caught meat, tragically, is the only readily available solution for hungry families.

How much do ring tailed lemurs cost?

Yes, they are expensive to buy from “reputable breeders”. You can expect to pay between $2,500 and $10,000. But what most people aren’t aware of is the unimaginable amount to care for them. Captive lemurs can live for 30 + years.

Can I buy a lemur in the US?

In some states in the US, including North Carolina, it’s perfectly legal to own an animal as endangered and exotic as a lemur. In fact, there are an estimated 15,000 pet primates in the United States,[1] and purchasing one is relatively easy: a couple thousand dollars and a trip to an online pet store is all it takes.

How many ring tailed lemurs are left in the world 2021?

Two new independent studies estimate that there are only between 2,000 and 2,400 ring-tailed lemurs — perhaps the most charismatic of Madagascar’s animals, and a flagship species of the country — left in the wild.

Why do hunters catch lemurs?

The factors that best predicted the decision to hunt lemurs were poverty, poor health, and child malnutrition.

What can you hunt in Madagascar?

Since 2004, our team has been studying the social, economic and geographic drivers of bushmeat (any wildlife used for food) consumption in northeastern Madagascar (the Maroantsetra area). Local people are hunting a variety of mammal species including lemurs, carnivores, bats, bush pigs and tenrecs.

Is it illegal to kill a lemur?

Although it’s illegal, lemurs are hunted and taken from the wild in Madagascar for food, for the pet trade, and sometimes because of cultural beliefs. But, with 31% of species critically endangered, or one step away from extinction in the wild, each individual lemur is important to ensure the survival of the species.

Why is the ring tailed lemur an endangered species?

Lemurs are the most endangered mammal group in the world. Ring-tailed lemurs are an endangered species. Population fragmentation is a major threat to these lemurs, mostly due to human-induced habitat loss and degradation. In some regions, ring-tailed lemurs are hunted with dogs for food.

Is it legal to own a ring tailed lemur as a pet?

In the US, ring-tailed lemurs are occasionally marketed as pets and are legal to own in some states. The pet trade can have devastating consequences for both the lemur and its owner, and the Duke Lemur Center is absolutely against all trade in pet primates, and against the holding of any prosimian (lemur, loris, bushbaby, potto) as a pet.

What kind of noises do ring tailed lemurs make?

Ring-tailed lemurs make a variety of sounds, including squeaks, growls, snorts, clicks and howls. When stroked, a tame ring-tailed lemur will purr like a cat. A loud yodel is a territorial claim.

Are there any programs to help ring tailed lemurs?

There are programs out there to raise awareness and money for the future of the Ring-Tailed Lemur. One of these programs involves being able to adopt a Lemur. The funds go to help with efforts to keep these animals alive and to increase their population in the wild.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Aw50uVYGHc