Although there are dozens of different species, lemurs, which can only live naturally on a single island in the world, are one of the oldest species that have existed for millions of years. Let’s take a closer look at the extraordinary features of the lemur, which has a unique intelligence among its species, even though it may not seem like it.
If you don’t have a special interest, we’re sure you first met the animal called lemur in the Madagascar animated movie. No, this is not because of ignorance. lemur It is specific to only one island. And since this is the only natural habitat, we do not see monkeys everywhere. The interesting thing is that although these creatures live on an island, they have evolved into dozens of different species.
In fact, it is quite normal for different types to emerge because Lemurs are one of the oldest species that have existed on Earth for millions of years. Throughout this process, they have adapted magnificently to their region and developed unique characteristics. It’s interesting that you’ll hear some of it for the first time about the lemur, which is one of the most intelligent creatures among its species despite having a goofy face. features Let’s take a closer look.
Interesting features of lemurs:
- Lemurs, a species native to Madagascar, are the world’s oldest primates.
- Don’t ignore Lemur, there are dozens of different species.
- Lemurs are the backbone of the Madagascar ecosystem.
- It’s not easy to be a woman in the lemur world either.
- They are intelligent and even have personalities.
- They are singing, in chorus!
- They make their own medicine from insects.
- The only blue-eyed primate other than humans is the lemur.
- There are legends telling that lemurs are cursed monsters.
- Soon there will be no lemurs left.
Lemurs, a species native to Madagascar, are the world’s oldest primates:
Madagascar, an island located in eastern Africa, is the only habitat where lemurs occur naturally. According to experts, the first lemurs were approximately 70 million years ago They appeared on the African continent. They moved to the island of Madagascar and settled here 65 million years ago. The fact that they lived alongside dinosaurs makes them the oldest primates in the world.
Don’t ignore Lemur, there are dozens of different species:
Although they have lived on a single island for millions of years, lemurs have evolved in an interesting way. They have evolved into 112 different species known today. The smallest of them weigh only 30 grams, while the largest can reach 10 kilograms. Among the lemur species that have evolved into a different appearance today, the Indri species stands out. Because studies have shown that its weight reaches up to 85 kilograms. So in ancient times, some lemurs were as big as a gorilla.
Lemurs are the backbone of the Madagascar ecosystem:
Every living thing living in an ecosystem is an integral part of that system, but this situation is much different for lemurs. On the continent of Madagascar, where they have lived for millions of years Lemurs are the main creators of the climate we see today. First of all, lemurs move from tree to tree while looking for fruit and thus carry pollen. They then eat these fruits and scatter the seeds left and right. They also leave the seeds they eat in other places with their feces. Get a unique ecosystem.
It is not easy to be a woman in the Lemur world either:
When we look at the mammal world in nature, we see that there is a generally patriarchal social order. In lemurs, on the contrary, There is a matriarchal social structure. Female lemurs mark their territory, steal food from males, chase away anyone who trespasses on their privacy, and engage in physical attacks. Females, who are at the center of society, often appear as strong leaders.
They are intelligent and even have personalities:
A creature that has survived for millions of years is of course intelligent, but lemurs really take this one step further. Experts working with lemurs that they can use touch screens, They found that they could memorize lists of pictures and arrange them in the correct order, and even perform basic mathematical calculations. The larger the social group an individual is in, the more his intelligence increases.
Another more interesting feature was revealed in the social cognition test. So-called mouse lemur individuals of a species are brave, shy, introverted, etc. They were seen to have certain personality types. In other words, we are faced with creatures that have a personality and character similar to humans.
They are singing, in chorus!
Lemurs generally communicate with sounds similar to growling and meowing. However, when it is necessary to communicate in groups, these creatures synchronously in a certain rhythm They were seen making sounds that we could easily call singing. These sounds made by individuals imitating each other enable the group to coordinate.
The interesting thing is that some contradictory voices emerge from these groups. When a group of lemur species is examined Some of the younger individuals were seen participating in the songs asynchronously. The reason for this is that the young individual tries to impress his potential sexual partners by revealing that he is different from others. Yes, like the rebellious teenager of the house.
They make their own medicine from insects:
Like many living creatures in the wild, lemurs contract numerous parasites, and if they are not treated, the consequences can be fatal. Lemurs are also aware of this and therefore make their own medicine. Lemurs eat centipede insects found in nature because the substance contained in the insect destroys stomach and intestinal parasites. More interestingly, they chew centipede insects in their mouths and apply the paste-like substance they obtain to their bodies. Thus, they take precautions against external parasites and other insects.
The only blue-eyed primate other than humans is the lemur:
Blue eye color is rare among mammals, but in primates the number is much less, only two. Among the more than 600 species of primates identified to date Blue eye color has only been seen in humans and a lemur species known as Sclater’s lemurs. We do not know whether blue eye color makes them more attractive among other individuals.
There are legends telling that lemurs are cursed monsters:
The word Lemur derives from the Latin word Lemures, meaning evil spirit of the dead. As can be understood from here, lemurs are not loved by the local people. specifically a variety called Aye Aye. According to legend, the Aye Aye lemur, which can rotate its longest middle finger 360 degrees, if it points at you with that finger, you are cursed. The only way to lift the curse is to kill that creature. For a while, Aye Aye lemurs were systematically killed both for this reason and for their meat.
Soon there will be no lemurs left:
Lemurs, which have lived peacefully on the island of Madagascar for millions of years and even created the island, are rapidly becoming extinct. Even The only reason some of them survive is because they are protected in private zoos. If you ask why, it’s because of us. Because Madagascar is an extremely poor country, it systematically cuts down forests and opens new agricultural areas. Lemurs, whose natural habitat is forest, are also disappearing when there is no forest.
It is one of the oldest primates in the world and fascinates those who see it with its intelligence. We talked about interesting features about lemurs, some of which you may have heard about for the first time. Let’s hope that some solutions will be found as soon as possible to develop the islanders without harming the lemurs.