White-headed lemur, White-headed brown lemur, White-fronted lemur
The white-headed lemur (Eulemur albifrons ), also known as the white-headed brown lemur, white-fronted brown lemur, or white-fronted lemur, is a species of primate in the family Lemuridae. It is only found in north-eastern Madagascar. It is arboreal and is usually found in rainforest treetops. It was formerly recognised as a subspecies of the common brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus ).
White-fronted brown lemus are medium-sized primates that have a horizontal posture, which is suited to their way of movement. These lemurs have a long furry tail assisting them in maintaining their balance as it lands from leaping at a considerable distance. Males have gray-brown upper parts, with darker lower limbs and tail, paler gray upper parts, gray head and face and a darker crown. Females have redder-brown upper parts, paler underparts and darker feet than males. The cheeks and beards are white, bushy and pronounced in males, reddish-brown and less bushy in females. The head, face and muzzle of the female are dark gray, but without the bushy cheeks of the male.
White-fronted brown lemus are found only in north-eastern Madagascar. They live in moist lowland and montane rainforests.
White-fronted brown lemurs are arboreal and live in tree tops. They are cathemeral, which means that these animals are active at varying times throughout the day and night. White-fronted brown lemurs are very social creatures. They live in multi-male multi-female groups. Depending on the population, the size of these groups can vary and may include up to 40 individuals. Unlike other members of the genus, female White-fronted brown lemurs are not usually dominant to males.
White-fronted brown lemurs are omnivorous animals. Their diet consists of fruit, mature leaves, flowers, bark, sap, soil, insects, centipedes, and millipedes.
Little is known about the mating system in White-fronted brown lemurs. However, other species in this genus are either monogamous or polygynous. It is likely that White-fronted brown lemurs are similar. The breeding season takes place in June. Females give birth to a single infant that is born in September-October. The gestation period lasts around 120 days. For the first three weeks of its life, a young lemur hangs onto its mother's belly, altering its grasp only to nurse. After three weeks have passed, it shifts and rides on the mother's back. It then starts to take its first steps. Following this, the infant starts to take solid food, nibbling on whatever the other members of the group eat. This is its first sign of independence. Nursing continues but its importance in the infant's diet tapers. The young infant is weaned after around 4 to 6 months - usually by January.
The main threat to White-fronted brown lemurs is the destruction of the habitat, mainly due to slash-and -burn practices, selective logging and through mining for quartz. These lemurs also suffer from hunting for food, especially in the Makira Protected Area.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the White-fronted brown lemur total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.