Ring-tailed lemur
Amazing fact
When it is cool, a ring-tailed lemur warms itself by opening its chest toward the sun.
上野動物園
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
When it is cool, a ring-tailed lemur warms itself by opening its chest toward the sun.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Ring-tailed lemur
- Scientific name
- Lemur catta
- Japanese name
- ワオキツネザル
- Group
- Land mammals
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Primates
- Family
- Lemuridae
- Genus
- Lemur
Where the name “Ring-tailed lemur” comes from
Its Japanese name refers to the rings on its tail.
上野動物園It is a primitive kind of primate that lives in the forests of southern Madagascar.
Its long tail has black and white rings all the way from the base to the tip.
In a troop, females rank above males. They communicate using dog-like calls and scent.
How the Ring-tailed lemur lives
Its troop travels in search of food. It eats fruit and leaves, as well as spiders and chameleons. In warm weather it often rests on its belly.
Smithsonian National ZooUniversity of Michigan Animal Diversity Web上野動物園Basic data
- Size
- Head and body length: about 42.5 cm上野動物園
- Weight
- 2.2–2.7 kg上野動物園
- Lifespan
- up to 33 years in the wild, up to 33 years in captivityUniversity of Michigan Animal Diversity Web
- Diet
- Fruit, flowers, leaves, small animals, and other foods上野動物園
- Range
- Southwestern Madagascar上野動物園
Where the Ring-tailed lemur has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- ワオキツネザル
- 简体中文
- 环尾狐猴
- 繁體中文
- 環尾狐猴
- 한국어
- 호랑이꼬리여우원숭이
- Español
- Lémur de cola anillada
- Français
- Lémur catta
- Deutsch
- Katta
- Português (Brasil)
- Lémur-de-cauda-anelada
- Italiano
- Lemure dalla coda ad anelli
- العربية
- ليمور حلقي الذيل
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Lemur ekor cincin
- Tiếng Việt
- Vượn cáo đuôi vòng
- Русский
- Кошачий лемур
- Türkçe
- Halka kuyruklu maki
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 上野動物園 — ワオキツネザルChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Lemur cattaChecked: 2026-11-03
- Smithsonian National Zoo — Ring-tailed lemurChecked: 2026-11-05
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Ring-tailed lemur, look for this
- Look for its tail held high as it walks.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
上野動物園EXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Ring-tailed lemur
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
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Others in Lemuridae
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