Results: Leaping Lemurs! Part 1 of 5
Published on 01/10/2026
Lemurs are wet-nosed primates of the superfamily Lemuroidea, divided into eight families and consisting of 15 genera and around 100 extant species. They are endemic to the island of Madagascar. Most existing lemurs are small, with a pointed snout, large eyes, and a long tail. They usually live in trees and are active at night. In this series we'll learn a few interesting facts about these mammals that are considered by many experts as the most critically endangered mammals on the planet. With over 90% of species threatened, primarily due to massive habitat loss from deforestation (logging, mining, farming) and hunting for bushmeat in their native Madagascar, pushing many species to critically endangered status. The Lemur Conservation Network is my source for this series. (Right click or tap and hold to view images in a new tab.)
QUESTIONS
GO to COMMENTS
Comments
1.
1.
Modern lemurs range from 2.5 Inches to 2.5 feet tall. The smallest living lemur is the pygmy mouse lemur, which is less than 2.5 inches (6 centimeters) from head to toe—although its tail adds another 5 inches. The largest living lemur is the indri, which can stand as tall as 2.5 feet (0.75 meter) in adulthood. Did you know that lemurs could be as little as 2.5 inches tall before this survey?
Yes
14%
280 votes
No
64%
1280 votes
Undecided
6%
126 votes
Not Applicable
16%
314 votes
2.
2.
A lemur that looked like Alf went extinct 500 years ago. The "Alf-like" lemur was Megaladapis, also called the "koala lemur," a giant extinct primate from Madagascar that looked somewhat like a stocky koala with a unique skull and snout. It was known for its slow, arboreal life and it went extinct around 500 years ago, likely due to habitat loss. While not directly related to koalas, its build allowed it to cling to trees as it looked for tough leaves to dine on. It had powerful jaws to chew this vegetation and with its distinctive long nose and canines giving it an unusual, almost alien appearance that might remind people of the sci-fi character Alf. Have you ever seen an episode of the American sitcom series ALF that ran from 1986 to 1990?
Yes
46%
923 votes
No
31%
626 votes
Undecided
7%
135 votes
Not Applicable
16%
316 votes
COMMENTS