A couple of red ruffed lemurs found home in the Feldman Ecopark. These rare, uncommon and very attractive animals appeared in the Regional Landscape Park thanks to the programme of free exchange among zoos. There were no similar rare lemurs in the Ecopark before.
“The red ruffed lemurs have recently arrived to the Ecopark, and they need to undergo all necessary veterinary procedures. The animals get used to the new home yet, but they feel well. The new ones are fed with cereals, meat, fish, curds, exotic fruits, vegetables, and berries,” the Feldman Ecopark deputy director of zootechnic issues Valeriia Ivashchenko tells. “They are currently kept in a quarantine, and will not live in open enclosures this year, because they are heat-loving animals, and it will be cold for them there.”
The red ruffed lemur is a primate of the ruffed lemurs species. It is one of the largest lemurs of Madagascar. Its body is covered with thick red fur, its tail, tips of legs and head are black. The length of body is about 50 cm, and the length of tails is up to 60 cm. It weighs 3-4 kg. Lemurs live 15-20 years in the wild and 25-30 years in zoos. Their only habitat is rainforests of the Masoala National Park, in the northeast of Madagascar (nearly 4,000 sq.km). It is currently considered as endangered species. Lemurs live on trees at a height of 10-20 m in groups of 15 animals (sometimes up to 30). It is a diurnal animal.
It should be noted that the ruffed lemurs, ring-tailed lemurs and pygmy slow loris live in the Feldman Ecopark. The endangered ruffed lemurs gave birth to three babies this spring. It should be reminded that the Feldman Ecopark has the largest collection of primates in Ukraine. There are over 200 animals of 30 species here. In general, it is a home to over 2,000 animals.
