Lemuriforms | Lemuriformes
Lemuriformes are mostly found in Africa and Asia and are classified under the superfamily Lemuroidea. Lemuriformes are large, unique, and considered among the smallest primates living today. They are mostly grouped using their specialized toothcomb teeth used for grooming. They are primarily arboreal and inhabit places like rainforests, littoral forests, high-altitude habitats, and spiny and seasonally dry forests. They have a long face and eyes positioned to the side of the head. They feed mostly on fruits and leaves. Lemuriforms undergo seasonal breeding and in their family structure females are more dominant than males. Some Lemuriforms hibernate.
Lemurs are social creatures that love to groom a lot and this is done with the second tongue that sits under the main tongue. This second tongue is made of stiff cartilage and these animals use it to remove unwanted materials from their colleague’s hair and also remove any hair stuck between their teeth. It is more of a dental combo.
Lemurs are only friendly to other lemurs since they live in a social grouping of about 20. But for domestication, they don’t make friendly pets and would show their wild aggressive instinct when constantly grabbed. They will bite or scratch. Besides, they are also demanding and require a lot of veterinary care compared to other pets.
Lemurs are native to Madagascar, where they are a favorite meal for fossas, the Madagascar buzzard, and the Madagascar harrier-hawk. They use alarm calls to alert other members of danger, while others are nocturnal, using the cover of darkness for protection. Wild dogs and hawks may also feed on these carnivores.