Observe this mother and baby as they nest in a tree in Western Madagascar, and be sure to turn the volume up for the forest sounds. This two-minute video of the red-tailed sportive lemur (Lepilemur Ruficaudatus) mother and child was filmed by nature photographer David Weiller in the Kirindy Forest Reserve. From Weiller’s video notes:
Sportive Lemurs (also called weasel lemur for their agility) are nocturnal and arboreal. During the day, they rest and stay hidden near their nesting tree holes while at night, they travel short distances, leaping from tree to tree, in search of leaves which constitute the bulk of their diet.
Red-tailed Sportive Lemurs have one of the lowest resting metabolic rates for mammals, which may be due to their low-energy leaf diet.
Adults weigh around 800 grams and have a body size of 28cm with a tail of 25cm.
The Kirindy Reserve is a privately managed forest and is one of last remaining endemic western dry deciduous forest.
Watch more videos by David Weiller. Then watch more videos from Madagascar and with lemurs, including:
β’ Baby ring tailed lemurs cling to their mother in Madagascar
β’Β Primate Parenthood: Red ruffed lemur and Allenβs swamp monkey
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