The Eulemur macaco, these shy and usually called Black Lemur, are nocturnal primates once inhabited the northwestern part of the island of Madagascar. There were taboos against killing them, but as natural forests were replaced by plantations, this protection disappeared. They were poisoned, or shot as pests. Today they are an endangered species and are confined to a small area on Madagascar and two small islands off its northwest coast. On one island they have the benefit of a reserve of natural forest. Black lemurs are legally protected and international trade is strictly controlled, but on those plantations where they flourish their capture for zoos is permitted.
The Black Lemur can only be found in the evergreen forests far up in northwest Madagascar and on the neighbouring islands of Nosy Be and Nosy Komba.
Like the brown lemurs they have been found to be important ecologically but in an unusual manner as pollinators. The traveller's or ravenella palm has large flowers up to 25 cm long. Black lemurs have been seen using the stems of the leaves and flower bracts as ladders to help them reach up into the flowers for the nectar.
The pollen is then transferred via their nose as they move from one bloom to another. The males are completely black, with spectacular tufts around their ears which frame the face. The females have brown/grey bodies, brown faces and white ear tufts.
They are the smallest species we have here weighing only 2.5 Kg and reaching 96cm in length from nose to tip of tail.
They live in groups with an averages size around 7 to 10 individuals, sometimes with more males than females plus a few young. The females are dominant to the males.They usually eat flowers, leaves, ripe fruit, nectar and some insects. They are active for brief periods throughout the day and night. They are more active at night around the full moon. And for predatores they have large snakes and fossas when visiting the ground and lower levels of the trees.
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