Verreaux’s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) and ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) endoparasitism at the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve

As hosts, primate behavior is responsible for parasite avoidance and elimination as well as parasite acquisition and transmission among conspecifics. Thus, host behavior is largely responsible for the distribution of parasites in free - ranging populations. We examined the importance of host behavior in acquiring and avoiding parasites that use oral routes by comparing the behavior of sympatric Verreaux’s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) and ring - tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) inhabiting the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR) in Madagascar. For each species, two groups lived in a protected parcel and two groups lived in anthropogenically - disturbed forests. Analysis of 585 fecal samples revealed that the BMSR ring - tailed lemurs harbored six species of nematode worms and three species of protistan parasites. The sifaka harbored only two nematodes. Differences in richness and prevalence appear to be linked to host behavior and the ecological distribution of their parasites. To understand the interplay between behavioral mechanisms to avoid or transmit parasites, we analyzed 683 hours of behavioral observations. BMSR ring - tailed lemurs were observed on the ground significantly more than sifaka and this terrestrial substrate use provides greater opportunities for soil - transmitted parasites to acquire a host. Ring - tailed lemurs using the anthropogenically - disturbed forests harbored parasites not found in the groups inhabiting the protected parcel which they may be acquiring via coprophagy or contact with feces. The arboreality of sifaka allows them to evade most soil-transmitted endoparasites and the patterns of parasitism exhibited by sifaka living in the anthropogenically - disturbed forests did not deviate from the patterns observed among the sifaka living in the protected parcel.RÉSUMÉEn tant qu’hôtes, les lémuriens interviennent dans l’acquisition et la transmission de parasites entre les individus d’une population, mais aussi sur la prévention et l’élimination de ces parasites. Leur comportement est donc largement responsable de la distribution des parasites au sein d’une population non contrôlée. Dans notre étude, nous avons examiné l’importance des facteurs  comportementaux lors de l’acquisition et l’évitement des parasites transmis par voie orale en comparant le comportement des Propithèques de Verreaux (Propithecus verreauxi) et des Makis (Lemur catta) se trouvant dans la Réserve Spéciale du Bezà Mahafaly (RSBM) à Madagascar. Deux groupes de chacune de ces espèces étaient distribués dans une parcelle protégée et deux autres dans des forêts dégradées par l’activité humaine. L’analyse de 585 échantillons fécaux a révélé que les Makis de la RSBM étaient infestés par six espèces de nématodes et trois espèces de parasites protistes tandis que les Propithèques de Verreaux ne l’étaient que par deux espèces de nématodes. Les différences de densité et de fréquence auxquelles étaient trouvés les parasites semblaient être liées au comportement des hôtes et à la distribution écologique de leurs parasites. Pour comprendre la relation entre les mécanismes comportementaux et la transmission des parasites, nous avons analysé le comportement des Propithèques et des Makis lors de 683 heures d’observations. Les Makis de la RSBM ont été observés à terre beaucoup plus souvent que les Propithèques. Cette utilisation du substrat terrestre augmente les possibilités des parasites du sol de trouver un hôte. Les Makis se trouvant dans les forêts perturbées étaient infestés de parasites  absents des excréments des lémuriens distribués dans la parcelle protégée. Il est possible que les parasites aient été transmis par coprophagie ou par contact avec des matières fécales. La tendance des Propithèques à vivre dans les arbres leur permet d’éviter la contagion par la plupart des parasites liés au sol et le comportement des Propithèques distribués dans les forêts perturbées ne diffère guère de celui des Propithèques distribués dans la parcelle protégée

Survival of a wild ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) with abdominal trauma in an anthropogenically disturbed habitat

Soft tissue injuries are rarely reported in wild primates as these heal fast, are not obvious, and are rapidly scavenged or decompose after death. An adult female ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) was found to have a chronic gastrointestinal fistula in Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar. She was observed monthly for 13 months until her remains, which showed evidence of dog predation, were found. Until then, she was in good body condition, had gained weight from the previous year and was observed to exhibit normal behaviour and produce an infant. This report documents a wild strepsirrhine primate able to survive significant soft tissue injury in ananthropogenically disturbed habitat.RÉSUMÉIl est rare que des blessures dans les tissus mous soient signalés chez les primates vivant à l’état sauvage car ces blessures guérissent rapidement, sont moins visibles ou que les animaux eux-mêmes se décomposent ou sont rapidement mangés par d’autres animaux après leur mort. Une femelle adulte de lémur catta (Lemur catta) a été trouvée avec une fistule gastro-intestinale chronique. Elle avait été observée vivante tous les mois pendant 13 mois avant que nous ne trouvions son cadavre, qui montrait des signes de prédation par de chiens. Jusque - là, elle étaiten bonne condition physique, avait pris du poids par rapport à l’année précédente, montrait un comportement normal et avait donné naissance à un petit. Ce rapport documente une lésion grave des tissus mous sur un Prosimien qui a été capable de survivre dans un habitat perturbé par l’homme

Limestone cliff - face and cave use by wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) in southwestern Madagascar

Ring - tailed lemurs live in a range of habitats in southwestern Madagascar. To date, much of the knowledge of ring - tailed lemur ecology, biology and behavior come from riverine gallery forests sites. Recent years have seen an expansion of comprehensive research on this resilient species, including areas of limestone spiny forest along Madagascar’s southwestern coast. This work is documenting newly discovered behaviors by this species. The regular use of cliff - faces and embedded crevices and caves by ring - tailed lemurs in southwestern Madagascar are reported here. Cave use by several anthropoid primates has been explained as a thermoregulatory behavior. It is suggested that cliff - face and cave use by these ring-tailed lemurs serves several purposes, including resource acquisition, thermoregulation, and as an anti - predator avoidance strategy in the absence of suitable large sleeping trees. Observations indicate that the limestone boundaries of the Mahafaly Plateau and their associated xerophytic scrub forests warrant further conservation attention, given the presence of behavioral variation and increasing threats to this endangered primate species

Long-term field studies of lemurs, lorises, and tarsiers

Lemurs, lorises, and tarsiers are socially and ecologically diverse primates that include some of the most endangered mammals. We review results of long-term studies of 15 lemur species from 7 sites in Madagascar and 1 species each of loris and tarsier in Indonesia. We emphasize that the existence of long-term study populations is a crucial prerequisite for planning and conducting shorter studies on specific topics, as exemplified by various ecophysiological studies of lemurs. Extended studies of known individuals have revealed variation in social organization within and between ecologically similar species. Even for these primates with relatively fast life histories, it required more than a decade of paternity data to characterize male reproductive skew. The long-term consequences of female rank on reproductive success remain poorly known, however. Long-term monitoring of known individuals is the only method to obtain data on life-history adaptations, which appear to be shaped by predation in the species covered here; long-term studies are also needed for addressing particular questions in community ecology. The mere presence of long-term projects has a positive effect on the protection of study sites, and they generate unique data that are fundamental to conservation measures, such as close monitoring of populations. Los lémures, lorises y tarseros son grupos de primates, muy diversos social y ecológicamente, que incluyen algunas de las especies de mamíferos más amenazadas. Se revisaron los resultados de estudios a largo plazo de 15 especies de lémures en 7 áreas de estudio en Madagascar y una especie de loris y otra de tarsero, en Indonesia. Se resalta la importancia de las áreas de estudio a largo plazo como prerrequisito esencial para planear y llevar a cabo estudios de menor duración sobre temas especificos, como lo ejemplifican varios estudios eco-fisiológicos en lemurs. Estudios a largo plazo de individuos conocidos, han revelado variacion en la organizacion social dentro y entre especies ecologicamente similares. Incluso en estos primates, con un ciclo de vida relativamente corto, se necesita recopilar más de una década de datos de paternidad para determinar el sesgo reproductivo de los machos. Sin embargo, aún se sabe poco de las consecuencias a largo plazo que la posición de las hembras en la jerarquía social puede tener en su éxito reproductivo. El monitoreo a largo plazo de individuos conocidos es el unico metodo para obtener datos sobre adaptaciones en su history natural, las cuales aparentemente son moduladas en function de la predacion a las especies estudiadas en este trabajo. Estos estudios a largo plazo son tambien necesarios para afrontar temas específicos sobre la ecología de estas comunidades. La simple presencia de proyectos a largo plazo tienen un efecto positive en la proteccion de los lugares de studio, como asi tambien generan datos unicos que son fundamentals para apoyar medidas de conservacion tales como el monitoreo de poblaciones

Use of Mangroves by Lemurs

Despite an increasing recognition of the ecosystem services provided by mangroves, we know little about their role in maintaining terrestrial biodiversity, including primates. Madagascar’s lemurs are a top global conservation priority with 94 % of species threatened with extinction, but records of their occurrence in mangroves are scarce. I used a mixed-methods approach to collect published and unpublished observations of lemurs in mangroves: I carried out a systematic literature search, and supplemented this with a targeted information request to 1243 researchers, conservation and tourism professionals and others who may have visited mangroves in Madagascar. I found references to, or observations of, at least 23 species in five families using mangroves, representing more than 20 % of lemur species and over 50 % of species whose distributions include mangrove areas. Lemurs used mangroves for foraging, sleeping and travelling between terrestrial forest patches, and some were observed as much as 3 km from the nearest permanently dry land. However most records were anecdotal and thus tell us little about lemur ecology in this habitat. Mangroves are more widely used by lemurs than has previously been recognised, and merit greater attention from primate researchers and conservationists in Madagascar