Author: Logue Family Account

Threats to Golden Bamboo Lemurs

Golden Bamboo Lemurs are endangered. There are about 1000 left in the world and 400 left in the wild. It is because of the habitat loss from slash-and-burn agriculture and the timber extraction. Another reason may be from hunting for food and pet trade. It is against the Malagasy law to hunt, kill, or capture them. This law is extremely hard to enforce though.
There are three areas around Ramomafana that are designated as Ranomafana National Park. Lemurs in those areas are provided a degree of protection.

Cites

http://www.animalinfo.org/species/primate/hapaaure.htm
http://www.animaldiversity.ummz.edu/accounts/Hapalemur_aureus/
http://www.arkive.org/golden-bamboo-lemur/hapalemur-aureus/
http://www.edgeofexistance.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=23
http://www.arkive.org/golden-bamboo-lemur/hapalemur-aureus/factsheet
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20?search=Hapalemur+aureus&guide=Primates&cl=US

Golden Bamboo Lemur

Tayler Logue

Habitat

The Lemur

The Golden Bamboo Lemur, Hapalemur aureus, is one of the rarest mammals in the world. It is about the size of a domestic house cat (head and body 26-48cm, tail 24-56cm) with the weight of about 1-1.5 kg. The lemur has pale orange fur on its back with yellow-brown underparts. Its face is usually black with golden eyebrows, throat, and cheeks . Golden Bamboo Lemurs have short ears and short muzzles. Females are commonly more grayish on the back.

This warm blooded animal lives in mid-altitude rainforests that contain giant bamboo. They are found on Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands.
As a herbivore, the Golden Bamboo Lemur eats mainly young shoots and leaf bases of giant bamboo trees. A study was done that showed these lemurs ate:
- 78% giant bamboo
- 10% other bamboo
- 3% non-bamboo foliage
- 4% fruit
- 5% other foods (mostly soil and mushrooms)
The Golden Bamboo Lemurs are dependent on bamboo, which is very unusual in mammals. They eat about 500 grams of bamboo everyday. This is roughly twelve times the lethal dose of cyanide that most mammals can have. The lemur has evolved to be resistant to the cyanide that is found in the tissues of the bamboo plant.
Most of these lemurs are active at dawn and dusk, but some might be active during the night. Golden Bamboo Lemurs live in groups of two to six with one adult male, one or two adult females, and slightly smaller sub-adults and juveniles. These lemurs move by vertical clinging and leaping. They travel less then 400 meters a day.
They communicate by:
- facial expressions (visual)
- body postures (visual)
- sent glands in wrist (chemical)
- grunts (acoustic)
- grooming, playing, aggression (tactile)

The Young and the Predators

Female Golden Bamboo Lemurs give birth only once a year in November or December. Most often they only give birth to one, but sometimes two. Mothers choose a spot that is secluded to ‘nest’ her young for the first 10-14 days. Weaning happens when the newborn is six months old. The mother grooms, protects, and feeds her young.
Golden Bamboo Lemurs have no reported predators. Scientist are able to assume that likely predators are humans, fossas, and raptors. They are also able to assume that Golden Bamboo Lemurs use alarm calls when a predator is near. They conceal sleeping locations, and for safety precautions the lemurs alternate sleeping places such as nests, tree holes, and dense vegetation. The lemurs leaping abilities may have evolved to avoid predators rather than travel.