lemur

Everyday

1. A lemur is a furry animal with big eyes, a pointed face and usually a long tail, found in the wild only on the island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa. tree →
2. The best-known kind, the ring-tailed lemur, has a long black-and-white striped tail. tree →

In the lessons

In science and geography lessons lemurs come up in islands and habitats (animals that live in only one place), adaptations (big eyes for seeing at night, long tails for balance) and conservation, because many lemurs are endangered when forests are cut down. Lemurs are primates, like monkeys and apes. In films, lemurs are famous from cartoons set in Madagascar.

Examples

• Lemurs live wild only on Madagascar. tree →
• The ring-tailed lemur held its striped tail high. tree →
• Lemurs sunbathe in the morning to warm up. tree →
• A baby lemur clings to its mother's back. tree →
• Some lemurs are active at night and have huge eyes. tree →
• Lemurs are primates, like monkeys and apes. tree →
• Cutting down the forest puts lemurs in danger. tree →

Note

Plural «lemurs». Say «LEE-mer». Lemurs are primates but neither monkeys nor apes. Do not confuse with «lemming» (an Arctic rodent).