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Pale fork-marked lemur sucking gum from tree in Madagascar

Fork-marked lemurs

There's a glimmer of hope for the struggling fork-marked lemurs as a fifth species might be about to join the group. All four existing species are fighting for survival as forest clearance takes its toll, however if confirmed as a new fork-marked species, a recent lemur discovery could help to save and protect their precious forest homes. Fork-marked lemurs come out as the sun goes down, leaping enthusiastically through the tree tops looking for food. They specialise in extracting plant sap and nectar with their long tongue.

Scientific name: Phaner

Rank: Genus

Common names:

Fork-crowned lemurs

Distribution

The Fork-marked lemurs can be found in a number of locations including: Madagascar. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the Fork-marked lemurs distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Rainforest Rainforest
Rainforests are the world's powerhouses, the most vital habitats on the planet. Characterised by high rainfall, they only cover 6% of the Earth across the tropical regions, but they contain more than half of its plant and animal species.

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

About

Fork-marked lemurs or fork-crowned lemurs are four lemur species of the genus Phaner. Like all other lemurs, all species in this genus are native to Madagascar. They are named due to the two striking black stripes which run from their eyes to the end of the snout.

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