Red-ruffed Lemur Plush Toys

Get facts, information and plush toy red-ruffed lemurs at Animals N More.

The Red-ruffed lemur stuffed animal shown at right is made by Wild Republic. You can find this lemur stuffed animal in the Jeannie's Cottage Gift Shop.

The word "Lemur" means "ghost." And ghostly indeed is the impression created by these strange, monkey-like animals as they move through the trees, from branch to branch, in the dark. When they descend to the ground, some stand upright on their long legs and walk or hop, carrying their slender arms aloft, while others walk on all fours. Their eyes, large, bright, and expressionless, look forward over a sharp, foxlike muzzle.

Most of the lemurs today live in the forests of Madagascar; some dwell on nearby islands. They typically dwell in the trees. They are timid, gentle, and inoffensive creatures. Most of them feed on insects, fruit and plant matter. The roaring vocalizations can be heard for a distance of more than a mile. The roars are generally a distress call, but vocalizations can be also used for location purposes.

Nocturnal, lemurs go about in the darkness searching for food. They spend their days sleeping in the trees. Their fur is soft and silky.

The Red-Ruffed Lemur is a handsome animal with conspicuous ruffs on the sides of its neck. It has a black tail, face and legs with a rufous red body with rufous colored ruffs on the sides of its neck. There is a white patch on the back of its neck. These are the largest of the Lemuridae, with a total length of 45 inches, which includes the two-foot long tail. Adults weigh between 7 and 12 pounds. They are generally sociable animals, living in groups of up to thirty individuals. The average site group is usually 3 to 15 individuals. The female is dominant to the male. Life expectancy in the wild can be up to 20 years.

Lemurs breed once a year. The ruffed lemur species are the only lemurids that have true litters, consisting of anywhere from 2 to 6 offspring. The gestation period is from 90 to 102 days. Unlike most primates, the female red-ruffed lemur will prepare several nests for her young, using her hair to pad them. Young have fur at birth, and the eyes are open. The mother will place them in one of her many nests while foraging. The young can follow their parents through the treetops at about 7 weeks. The young are weaned at about 4 months.