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Although there are more than 100 species of lemurs, the ring-tailed lemur is arguably the most well-known thanks to King Julien in the hit children’s film Madagascar. His need to “move it, move it” pretty much put these lemurs on the popularity map.
This easy-to-recognize primate has a distinctive black and white ringed tail. And true to the movie’s depiction, there is, in fact, only one place on Earth where you will find these animals living in the wild: southwestern Madagascar.
Ring-tailed lemurs are as fascinating as they are intelligent, but what most people (including me, until now) don’t know is that they also have a rather smelly mating habit. It’s called “stink flirting,” and its purpose is to get a female’s attention. Check out the video above from the Smithsonian Channel to see lemurs stink-flirt. As the narrator explains, this mating ritual may attract the females, but it can also bring unwanted attention from other males.

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Where Do Ring-Tailed Lemurs Live?
Apart from zoos, the only place you can see a ring-tailed lemur is in southern Madagascar, a large island off the southeast coast of Africa. Scientists believe the island’s lack of predators is why lemurs flourish here. And it’s likely why they can’t be found anywhere on the continent of Africa.
Madagascar is nearly the size of Texas, and many animals that live there are different from any other animals on Earth. In fact, it’s believed that 92% of mammals living in Madagascar don’t exist anywhere else on the planet. In terms of ring-tailed lemurs specifically, there is a large number of them living in Amoron’i Onilahy, a protected area on the island known for its biodiversity.
About Their Flirting Method
Lemurs use their keen sense of smell to find and attract mates. Like cats, dogs, and some primates, lemurs have a rhinarium, which is a moist patch of sensitive skin on the tip of the nose that gives them not only super smelling capabilities, but also the ability to detect where an odor is coming from.
Lemurs have scent glands on their chests, backsides, groins, armpits, and wrists, which scientists say release pheromones. During the spring mating season, males looking for a mate will rub their scent onto their tales and wave them at the females. They don’t have much time to capture the attention of a potential mate as the females are only receptive to mating for about one or two days each year.
The typical scent from a male year-round is bitter and used to mark its territory. But the scent changes during mating season to something more pleasant — at least to the female lemurs — and is described as “sweet and tropical.”
The Dangers of Stink Flirting
Not only do females notice the male lemur’s scent, but other males react to it as well. Unfortunately, another male’s reaction is instant aggression, which can lead to a fight among the males. When males release their scent, they aren’t only letting the female lemurs know they are interested, they are showing the females they are a strong partner, willing to risk a fight with another male.
How Ring-Tailed Lemurs Reproduce
The females usually have only one baby per year, although they sometimes give birth to twins. Newborns stick close to their moms for the first few months and are fully weaned around six months old. Caring for babies is a group affair, and although the fathers don’t spend much time caring for their young, everyone in the troop, regardless of sex, helps raise the infants. Females tend to stay with the same troop they were born into, while males usually move to a new group when they become sexually mature.

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Is the Ring-Tailed Lemur Endangered?
The ring-tailed lemur is an endangered species. Before people arrived in Madagascar around 2,000 years ago, the island was covered by forests. Today, approximately 80% of that forest land is gone. The island is also heavily impacted by climate change, experiencing both severe droughts and cyclones, which puts the lemurs at risk of losing their habitat. Additional risks to the lemur population are being hunted and sold as pets for the exotic pet trade, and natural predators, like boa constrictors, hawks and domesticated cats and dogs.
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