Meet the lovable lemur
Around 100 species of lemurs occur nowhere else in Africa other than in Madagascar. Fascinatingly, experts only discovered most of these species in the last 30 years.
The unique climate of the island has brought forth such a species diversity that isn’t seen in other primates. Furthermore, the different weather patterns have developed some remarkable features, including seasonal fat storage. This storage happens when fat is collected and stored in the tail during times when food is more abundant, and in anticipation for when resources are harder to come by.
An attribute that lemurs share with some other primates is their acute sense of smell. They have scent glands on their wrists and shoulders, as well as their genitals. It used for communication during anything from fighting to flirting.
Deforestation, poaching for bushmeat, and trade as exotic pets are the main threats to lemurs. The different species are classed from ‘Vulnerable’ and ‘Endangered’ to ‘Critically Endangered’.
More Primates
The chimpanzee has an arsenal of communication tools, from sound to facial expressions and posture, that it uses in an array of situations. An open-mouthed grin is displayed when playful, while fear elicits a closed-mouthed grin.
Sharing 99% of the DNA of homo sapiens, gorillas are the closest living relatives to humans. They are the largest primates, and two species (with four subspecies) call the tropical forests and mountains of Central and West Africa home
Popular Parks Across Africa
Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park lies in northwestern Rwanda and made up of rainforest and five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is in southwestern Uganda and attracts tourists for the famous gorilla trekking.
Lopé National Park
Lope National Park lies in Central Gabon. No other region in Central Africa is considered more vital for primates than this National Park.
Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park is located in the eastern part of the DRC and home to the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas.
Gombe Stream National Park
Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania—is home to Lake Tanganyika where Jane Goodall’s chimpanzees have been habituated.