Black-and-white ruffed lemur

By Rani Iyer

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Black-and-white ruffed lemur

Scientific Name: Varecia variegata

The island of Madagascar is synonymous with lemurs: there are more than 100 types of lemurs living there today. Of these, the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata) is considered critically endangered.

The black-and-white ruffed lemur is closely related to the red ruffed lemur. The ‘ruff’ consists of long hair that runs from the ears along the cheeks to beneath the chin.

You wouldn’t miss a black-and-white ruffed lemur in the Madagascar jungles for two reasons. Their ‘roar/shriek’ calls echo through the high canopy where they live. Their name ‘lemur’ means ‘ghost’ in Latin. Early explorers thought that ghosts made the shrieks in the forests of Madagascar. Second, they are active only during the day time (they are 'diurnal'). The black-and-white ruffed lemur is entirely arboreal. It communicates in the canopy layer by scent marking.

Fruits of all kinds are the favorite food of this house-cat sized lemur. They also eat small amounts of nectar, leaves, flowers, buds, fungi, and soil.

Black-and-white ruffed lemurs are social creatures that form groups around food. When food is available in plenty, the group size increases to about 26. At lean times, the group size falls to three or four.

The feeding habits of the black-and-white ruffed lemur also help other species, even though the lemur probably doesn't realize it. For example, when the black-and-white ruffed lemur feeds on the sugary nectar of the travelers' palm, it inadvertently transfers pollen from one flower to another. In the process it pollinates the plant and helps ensure further generations of palm trees.

Unlike other lemurs, ruffed lemurs build nests when it is time to have babies. Twins are normal for the black-and-white ruffed lemur, but they can also have up to 6 babies at a time! You would think that having 6 babies would be enough to fill up the forest in no time but most babies die due to falling accidents. For those that survive, there are not enough trees—Madagascar's forests are being cut down for timber and agriculture. Deforestation robs lemurs not only of their home, but their food source, since tall rainforest trees are an important source of fruit.

The black-and-white ruffed lemur is also hunted as food by humans, putting the species at further risk. Given these threats, saving the black-and-white ruffed lemur will require a great deal of effort. Will we be able to do it?

Teacher resources:

Lemur Conservation Foundation

Lemur lesson plan

California Academy of Sciences Lemurs in America

More pictures of black-and-white ruffed lemurs

Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree	White ruffed lemur feeding on tamarind	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree
White ruffed lemur (Nosy Mangabe)	Varecia variegata variegata feeding on tamarind (Nosy Mangabe)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Varecia variegata variegata lemur (Nosy Mangabe)
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Varecia variegata variegata
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree
White ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata variegata) (Nosy Mangabe)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree		Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white ruffed lemur
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata) with radio collar	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur hanging in a tree	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)	Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)

Animal profiles

Birds
Bare-Faced Ibis
Blue and Gold Macaw
Common Potoo
Green Honeycreeper
Grey Winged Trumpeter
Harpy Eagle
Hoatzin
Horned Screamer
Jabiru Stork
Malachite Kingfisher
Mealy Parrot
Northern Cassowary
Savanna hawk
Scale-crested pygmy-tyrant
Rhinoceros Hornbill
Scarlet Ibis
Wattled Jacana

Mammals
Asian black bear
Black-and-white ruffed lemur
Black-faced spider monkey
Bornean Rhino
Brown capuchin monkey
Capybara [2nd profile]
Coquerel's Sifaka
Crowned Lemur
Eastern Long Beaked Echidna
Howler Monkey
Kinkajou
Malagasy Giant Jumping Rat
Malayan Tapir
Margay
Mountain Gorilla
Plains Zebra not a rainforest species
Puma
South American tapir
South American coatimundi
Spectral Tarsier
Spider Monkey
Squirrel Monkeys
White-lipped peccary
Woolly Monkey


Reptiles
Green Basilisk
Leatherback Sea Turtle not a rainforest species
Pygmy stump-tailed chameleon
Spectacled Caiman


Amphibians
Giant Chinese Salamander
Gladiator Tree Frog
Green Poison Arrow Frog
Indian Purple Frog
Monkey Frog